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Teens Turn to AI Chatbots for Support, Sparking Safety and Trust Concerns

Chatbots

Business Honor
14 July, 2025

Vulnerable teens rely on AI for advice, highlighting urgent need for safeguards.

Increasingly, teens are using AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Snapchat's My AI, and Replika for emotional support and personal guidance, a new report says. Internet Matters, a UK online safety organization, found in a survey that most teenagers see these bots as their friends. Of children who used chatbots, 35% reported feeling as though they were talking to a friend, while this increased to 50% for vulnerable children, the report stated. Alarmingly, 12% reported that they used chatbots because they had no one else to speak to.

Teenagers are using AI to get help with schoolwork, body image issues, and emotional problems. Some bots, like ChatGPT, offer kind and human-like responses. When one researcher posing as a sad teenager said they were upset, ChatGPT replied: “I’m sorry you’re feeling that way. Want to talk it through together?” But the experts caution that parents and children are "flying blind" when it comes to knowing about such technologies. The report stated that children tend to take chatbot tips on faith and may not even realize they are communicating with a computer.

Safety is also being questioned. Most chatbots don't verify users' ages, despite them not being designed for children younger than 13. Filters that block abusive content tend to be weak or inconsistent. Rachel Huggins from Internet Matters stated, "Children need improved education and resources to use AI safely." The report insists that schools educate students about AI chatbots, their functioning, and the dangers associated with them. While increasing numbers of children seek the guidance of AI, experts say that it is now time to develop safer, child-friendly versions of these tools.