72% of US teens have used AI companions at least once, and 13% use them daily. While most teens find AI companions less satisfying than real friends, they provide a non-judgmental space to practice social skills.
Paper: Talk, Trust and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions
I found this report on how teenagers use AI companions interesting. 72% of US teens have used an AI companion at least once, and 13% use AI companions daily.
What's more interesting is how teens feel about these conversations.
Among teens who use AI companions, 30% say they do so because it's entertaining, while nearly as many use them simply because they are curious about how the technology works. Here are the full stats:
-
It's entertaining: 30%
-
I'm curious about the technology: 28%
-
It gives advice: 18%
-
They're always available when I need someone to talk to: 17%
-
They don't judge me: 14%
-
I can say things I wouldn't tell my friends or family: 12%
-
It's easier than talking to real people: 9%
-
It helps me practice social skills: 7%
-
It helps me feel less lonely: 6%
However, many teens aren't using AI as a replacement. They're using it as a rehearsal space. 39% of users apply social skills they practiced with AI to real-world situations: conversation starters (18%), giving advice (14%), expressing emotions (13%), and resolving conflicts (11%). They rehearse with AI and perform with humans.
Therefore, it's less like "AI is replacing human connection" and more like "AI is filling gaps that human connection leaves open."
Teens still want real friends. But for the moments when real friends aren't available, aren't safe, or feel too hard, AI is there.