Studies Link Children's Use of AI Companions to Loneliness and Anxiety

Two new studies raise concerns about the effect of AI companions on young users. Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, involving more than 2,300 students in grades six to eight, found that one in five used AI for emotionally intimate companionship. AI use among the students rose from 62% in December 2025 to 75% by spring 2026.

Students who relied on AI for friendship were more likely to report greater loneliness later, and overall AI use was associated with higher social anxiety and depressive symptoms. The researchers identified three patterns in how children related to AI: companionship, seeking nonjudgmental validation and overreliance.

A separate peer-reviewed paper from researchers at Northeastern University London and King's College London, published in JMIR Mental Health, examined the risks of using AI chatbots for companionship and emotional support. It points to cases of emotional dependence, worsening mental health symptoms, self-harm and delusional thinking. The researchers highlight sycophancy as a particular concern, where chatbots agree with users and validate their beliefs, even when those beliefs may be harmful or false.

The research comes as lawmakers tighten the rules. On September 28, the Pennsylvania House passed HB 2006, the AI Companion Safety Act, by 133-70. The bill covers AI systems designed to simulate ongoing human relationships and would require:

• Safeguards for minors
• Restrictions on sexual content
• Protections around suicide and self-harm
• Clear disclosure that users are interacting with AI

Pennsylvania's attorney general could seek penalties of up to $100,000 per day for each violation. The bill still needs Senate approval before it can become law.

The original reporting is by Global Dating Insights.