Many teenagers report that they are concerned about their relationships with AI chatbots.

A reliance on chatbots hinders teens’ abilities to learn how to gain crucial social skills.

That reliance on chatbots makes their usefulness in addiction treatment suspect.

There are times when we just want to vent and have others mirror our thoughts and emotions. This may be especially true for teenagers who are in the midst of significant and challenging stages of physical, psychological, and social development. They and their worlds change so quickly, which can be very disorienting. Could AI chatbots provide some needed help? Does it come with a price?

AI chatbots for teen support

A recent study from Drexel University finds that teens ages 13-17 are becoming concerned with their relationships with AI chatbots. More teens are turning to chatbots for emotional support, connection, and companionship. While some of the teens used these chatbots in relatively harmless ways, others reported that the connections become stronger and feel very difficult to break.

Analyzing more than 300 posts on Reddit from teens about their interactions, researchers “were able to see clear patterns like conflict, withdrawal, and relapse showing up in their........

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