According to a new study by the U.S. nonprofit organization Common Sense Media, the majority of American teenagers (72%) have tried an AI companion at least once. An "AI companion" refers to an AI chatbot capable of more personal conversations, such as Character.AI or Replika, rather than just some assistants for homework.
Image source note: The image is AI-generated, and the image licensing service is Midjourney
The study, based on a survey of 1,060 teenagers, found that these teens showed great interest in chatting with AI. More than half (52%) of the teenagers said they are regular users of AI companions. Among them, 13% chat with AI every day, and 21% interact several times a week.
In terms of gender, boys (31%) were slightly more likely to say they had never used an AI companion than girls (25%). Overall, about a quarter of the teenagers said they had never tried an AI companion.
The study also revealed various ways teenagers interact with AI companions. Nearly half (46%) of the respondents saw them as tools or programs, while 33% considered them a way of social interaction. The purposes for which teenagers use AI companions vary, mainly for entertainment (30%), curiosity about AI technology (28%), seeking advice (18%), and being available at all times (17%).
Although many teenagers actively use AI companions, they still have some distrust in the information provided. About 50% of the respondents said they do not trust the information provided by their AI partner. Notably, older teenagers have less trust in AI advice compared to younger teenagers.
Interestingly, one-third of teenagers said they find conversations with AI more satisfying than those with real friends, while most (67%) held the opposite view. 39% of teenagers said they consider AI conversations as practice for real-life interactions, to improve social skills, start conversations, offer advice, and express emotions.
The survey also showed that 80% of teenagers said they spend more time with real friends than with AI chats, and only 6% said the opposite.
Key points:
🌐 72% of American teenagers have tried an AI companion, of whom 52% are regular users.
🎮 Teenagers use AI for entertainment, curiosity, and seeking advice.
👥 80% of teenagers said they spend more time with real friends than with AI chats.
