Many teens engage with companion chatbots for emotional support, often in ways parents may not realize.

The adolescent brain is uniquely vulnerable to AI’s instant affirmation and emotionally responsive design.

AI features including sycophancy can unintentionally reinforce harmful thoughts and behaviors.

Parents are a primary safeguard while regulatory and safety standards catch-up.

For many parents, large language models such as ChatGPT have become tools of convenience. They help plan vacations, generate meal ideas, draft emails, and even offer on-the-go parenting advice. These artificial intelligence platforms can lighten the mental load of modern family life.

What many parents may not realize, however, is that their children are using these tools, too — often in ways that may surprise adults.

While public debate focuses on data privacy, automation, and copyright implications of generative AI, a more immediate concern is emerging: the growing role of companion AI in young people’s emotional lives.

In recent months, wrongful death and negligence lawsuits have been filed against OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and Character.AI by parents of children who have died by suicide. In the case of one teen, parents allege that the chatbot functioned as a "suicide coach,” failing to intervene when he expressed harmful intentions after months of confiding in it. The company has reportedly argued that the teen misused the platform and violated its terms of use.

Regardless of the legal outcomes, these cases raise urgent questions for families.

The Scope of the Problem

Many parents are unaware of how common AI use has become among teens — or how emotionally significant it may be.

A recent survey from Common Sense Media found that 72% of teen respondents reported using companion AI, and over half (52%) identified as regular users, interacting at least a few times per month. Nearly one-third of teens said conversations with AI were as satisfying as, or more satisfying than, conversations with humans. Younger users (ages 13-14) were more likely than older teens........

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