Many teenagers now talk to AI when they have questions, and sometimes when they have worries. A Pew Research Center study published in February 2026 found that 64% of U.S. teens use AI chatbots. Most use them to search for information or get help with schoolwork, but 12% said they have used chatbots for emotional support or advice. Another 16% said they use them for casual conversation. (pewresearch.org)

This habit can become very personal. In Common Sense Media’s 2026 survey of 1,204 children ages 9 to 17, 57% of AI users said they had asked AI for information or advice about their health or body. Nearly half had asked about future goals, and 37% had used AI to discuss feelings or personal problems. Most young people still chose a trusted adult first, but 12% said they would ask an AI chatbot before a person about health or body questions. Among daily AI users, that number rose to 27%. (commonsensemedia.org)

This is not a small trend. A 2025 Common Sense Media report said nearly three in four teens had used AI companions, and a third had chosen them over humans for serious conversations. The report also found that many teens see these systems as tools, but some use them for social interaction, emotional support, friendship, or conversation practice. (commonsensemedia.org)

But there are risks too. In the 2026 Common Sense survey, 17% of young AI chatbot users said a chatbot had shown or said something that was not OK for their age, and only 33% told a trusted adult. UNICEF also warned in June 2026 that children and young people are increasingly using chatbots not only for information and learning, but also for advice, support, and sometimes relationships, and that these systems create special risks for children. Many child-safety groups now say AI should be a tool, not a replacement for real help from family, teachers, counselors, and friends. (commonsensemedia.org)