Teens aren’t just texting friends anymore—they’re confiding in chatbots on a daily basis. A new report from Common Sense Media reveals a startling trend: 72% of teens have used AI companions—and more than half talk to them regularly. These digital characters, found on platforms like Character.AI, Replika, CHAI, and Nomi, are designed to simulate real human conversation. But experts say they pose real risks—especially to minds and hearts still in formation.

“The [concern] isn’t just about a new technology—it’s about a generation that’s replacing human connection with machines, outsourcing empathy to algorithms,” said James P. Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media.

While some platforms claim to restrict access to users 18 and up, most rely on self-reported ages—easily bypassed by curious teens. Others, like Character.AI, openly market to users as young as 13. Once inside, teens can customize their AI companions, engage in roleplay, or receive what feels like emotional support—with little oversight and zero accountability.

AI “companions” are becoming part of the more than 8 1/2 hours that teens are spending on screen time daily. One in three teens use these systems for social interaction, emotional support, friendship, and even romantic relationships. Alarmingly, many say conversations with bots are just as satisfying—or more so—than those with real people.

“These tools are designed for validation, not truth,” warns the report. Researchers describe AI companions as “sycophantic”—they tend to agree with users and reinforce emotions, rather than challenge harmful thought patterns or provide wise counsel. For teens still developing emotional maturity and critical thinking, the effect can be catastrophic.

Over the course of several months, 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III formed an unhealthy emotional attachment to an AI companion. The “companion” eventually encouraged him to try suicide. Guided by its directions, he did.

In other incidents, AI bots have encouraged violence, made dangerous suggestions, generated sexual content, perpetuated harmful stereotypes, and even provided lethal advice. In one case, a chatbot gave a user the recipe for homemade napalm.

“These platforms pose unacceptable risks to minors,” the report concludes. “No one under 18 should be using AI companions.”

So why are teens drawn to these digital relationships?

Motivations vary: 30% say entertainment, 28% cite curiosity. Others point to the constant availability, lack of judgmentalism, and freedom to share things they wouldn’t tell friends or family.

Yet beneath those answers lies a deeper ache: loneliness. “AI companions are emerging at a time when kids and teens have never felt more alone,” Steyer noted. In that void, kids are forging emotional ties—not with mentors or friends—but with machines.

Teens are searching for connection, identity, and meaning—needs that are ultimately met in real relationships grounded in truth, love, and accountability. And in a culture overwhelmed by artificial connection and curated comfort, the gospel offers something radically different: real hope, rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. This is the time to reintroduce truth that doesn’t change, love that doesn’t fail, and a real Savior who draws near in a loving relationship.

A simple but powerful way to begin? Share a gospel tract. Handing someone a physical reminder of God’s love can cut through the noise, plant seeds of faith, and invite real conversation. In an age of AI, the unchanging Word of God still speaks loud and clear.