72% of teens have used AI companions: what parents should know
Nearly three in four US teens have tried an AI companion, and half use one regularly - here is what every parent needs to know about the risks.
Nearly three in four US teens have tried an AI companion, and half use one regularly - here is what every parent needs to know about the risks.
Almost 3 in 4 teens have chatted with an AI "friend"
A 2025 national survey from Common Sense Media of 1,060 US teens (ages 13-17) found that AI companions are now mainstream teen behavior. These are chatbots built for personal conversation — platforms like Character.AI, Replika, and Nomi — designed to form emotional bonds, not just answer homework questions.
The numbers are striking:
- 72% of teens have used an AI companion at least once.
- 52% use one at least a few times a month (13% daily, 21% a few times a week), according to the full Common Sense Media report.
- 33% use them for social interaction and relationships — emotional support, friendship, conversation practice, even romantic role-play.
- 31% say conversations with AI companions are as satisfying as, or more satisfying than, those with real-life friends.
It is not all red flags. 80% of teen users still spend more time with real friends than with an AI companion, and half distrust the advice AI gives. The most common reasons users give are entertainment (30%) and curiosity about the technology (28%).
But the concerns are real. One in three users has discussed serious matters with an AI companion instead of a real person, and 24% have shared personal details like their real name or location. And 34% reported feeling uncomfortable with something an AI companion said or did.
Common Sense Media recommends that no one under 18 use AI companions, pointing to risks like sexual content, manipulative responses, and bots that fail to notice a teen in distress.
What you can do: ask your teen which apps they actually use, talk through why a bot that always agrees can feel good but is not a real friend, and set a firm rule about never sharing personal details with any AI.