New Survey Links Teen Chatbot Use for Companionship to Rising Loneliness

The Jed Foundation survey of more than 5,000 American middle and high school students found that 58 percent use AI chatbots for help with schoolwork. A similar percentage of students turn to these tools when feeling sad, stressed, lonely, or overwhelmed. This data provides the first large-scale look at how widespread these interactions have become in adolescence.

Fifteen-year-old Arjun Charta from Round Rock, Texas, began using AI chatbots in 2022. He primarily uses platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini to generate practice questions and clarify difficult concepts before exams. He also admits to seeking emotional reassurance from the bots during high-pressure moments, such as before a chemistry test.

Seventeen-year-old McKenzie Craig from Raynham, Massachusetts, started using AI in eighth grade after her school introduced the technology. Her experience reflects the trend of schools integrating these tools into standard curricula. Both students represent the demographic at the center of the new research findings.

Kayla Anderson, vice president of research and evaluation at the Jed Foundation, analyzed the relationship between specific types of AI use and mental health indicators. The study linked using chatbots for companionship or during periods of distress to worse overall mental health symptoms. Students in this group reported higher levels of loneliness and less resilience.

Anderson noted that the data also showed a correlation with a history of suicidal ideation and attempts among students who used AI for emotional support. She cautioned that the data does not yet clarify the direction of causality. It remains uncertain whether AI use causes poor mental health or if students who are already in distress are more likely to seek out these tools.

Anne Maheux, a developmental psychologist at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, suggests the relationship is likely bidirectional. Her preliminary research indicates that middle schoolers who use chatbots for companionship tend to grow lonelier over time. A separate study found similar patterns among young adults, indicating this is not an isolated phenomenon.

Maheux proposes that AI solves immediate problems effectively, which prevents students from developing the capacity to handle normative daily stressors on their own. This erosion of coping skills may exacerbate existing mental health challenges rather than alleviating them. The research team is continuing to track these cohorts to confirm these long-term trends.