Surveys find most tweens and teens use AI chatbots, with some uses linked to worse mental health

New surveys from Common Sense Media and the JED Foundation found that nearly half of 9-to-12-year-olds and 90% of 9-to-17-year-olds surveyed have used an AI chatbot, often years before the minimum age set by most platforms. The research found that using chatbots for companionship or emotional support during distress was associated with worse overall mental health symptoms.