New report finds 3 in 4 teens have used AI companion chatbots

A report issued earlier today by Common Sense Media found that 72% of American teens have used AI companion chatbots, and one in three teens have used AI companions for social interaction and relationships. (Photo: Annie Spratt for Unsplash+)

July 16, 2025 — A new report released this morning has found widespread use of social AI companions among American teens ages 13-17. The research underscores that the use of AI companions is not a niche interest, but is now mainstream teen behavior.

Common Sense Media released the report "Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions," which is available for download here.

“Our research shows that AI companions are far more commonplace than people may have assumed.”

— James P. Steyer, Common Sense Media

"AI companions are emerging at a time when kids and teens have never felt more alone," said Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer. "This isn't just about a new technology — it's about a generation that's replacing human connection with machines, outsourcing empathy to algorithms, and sharing intimate details with companies that don't have kids' best interests at heart. Our research shows that AI companions are far more commonplace than people may have assumed — and that we have a narrow window to educate kids and families about the well-documented dangers of these products."

The report's key findings demonstrate a remarkable level of adoption and impact for a technology that is less than three years old:

• 72% of teens have used AI companions at least once.

• Over half use these platforms at least a few times a month.

• About one in three teens:

  • Have used AI companions for social interaction and relationships, including role-playing, romantic interactions, emotional support, friendship, or conversation practice.

  • Find conversations with AI companions to be as satisfying or more satisfying than those with real-life friends.

• About one in three teen AI companion users:

  • Report feeling uncomfortable with something an AI companion has said or done.

  • Have chosen to discuss important or serious matters with AI companions instead of real people.

These findings underscore the risks identified in Common Sense Media's comprehensive Social AI Companions Risk Assessment, which recommended that no one under 18 use AI companions.

While teens overall maintain some skepticism about the technology — half distrust AI advice, and 80 percent prioritize real friendships – today’s report found that younger teens trust AI companions significantly more than older teens, revealing an AI literacy gap.

Common Sense Media officials said:

Teens' widespread adoption of AI companions demonstrates an urgent need for action and for further research. Left unchecked and unregulated, the use of AI companions could shape how an entire generation approaches relationships and emotional support, with potentially serious consequences for teens' healthy development. To establish clear, enforceable guardrails on AI companion use, Common Sense Media is backing first-in-the-nation legislation to ban these products for minors.

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