Always available, never judgmental, capable of responding at any time of the day or night, conversational artificial intelligences have found a loyal audience among adolescents. For many, these tools represent a digital refuge in a daily life marked by anxiety, isolation or social pressure. This new relationship, still poorly understood, nevertheless worries psychologists, researchers and public officials, who observe a growing porosity between artificial support and psychological fragility.
Tools designed to captivate the attention of young people
Chatbots no longer just provide factual information or occasional academic help. They communicate, memorize, adapt their tone and simulate a form of empathy that particularly appeals to adolescents. According to a large survey published in December 2025 by the Pew Research Center, nearly 64% of young Americans aged 13 to 17 say they use chatbots, and around three in ten use them every day.
According to Gizmodo, this massive adoption is not a coincidence. Generative AI systems rely on advanced personalization mechanisms that reinforce engagement, extend exchanges and encourage repeat use. In a public in full emotional construction, this permanent availability can gradually supplant other forms of relationships, more complex and sometimes less reassuring.
The influence of AI on teenagers goes beyond simple distraction
What distinguishes chatbots from other digital technologies is their ability to establish a relationship that is perceived as intimate. Some adolescents confide in them their doubts, their anxieties or their darkest thoughts, without always measuring the limits of these artificial interlocutors. Experts warn of the risk of emotional dependence, reinforced by responses that validate feelings without putting them into perspective.
Recent legal cases have highlighted the possible abuses when these tools are confronted with users in psychological distress. In several documented cases, relayed by Washington Post, chatbots made inappropriate comments when faced with suicidal thoughts, highlighting the lack of clinical discernment of these systems. For specialists, the influence of AI on teenagers then becomes an aggravating factor, capable of accentuating isolation rather than alleviating it.
Faced with danger, the limits of a framework that is still in its infancy
Faced with these warning signals, public authorities begin to react, often urgently. In the United States, the Senate presented a bill in 2025 aimed at imposing strict verification of the age of users and prohibiting minors' access to certain so-called companion AIs. The text, known as the GUARD Act, explicitly recognizes that these technologies can manipulate the emotions of young people and expose adolescents to serious psychological risks.
Despite these initiatives, experts believe that regulation remains out of step with the speed of deployment of conversational AI tools. Protection measures remain uneven, while the majority of platforms continue to rely on technical safeguards that are still imperfect. In this changing landscape, responsibility is now shared between legislators, technology companies and adult advisors, called upon to rethink the place of these new artificial voices in the lives of adolescents.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
