Surveys link teens' emotional use of AI chatbots to poorer mental health, without proving cause

Two recent studies, brought together in an NPR report on October 30, give a clearer picture of how young Americans use AI chatbots and how that use relates to their mental health. Both point to widespread adoption well before the age of 13, the minimum on most popular chatbots, and both stop short of saying that chatbots harm children.

How many young people use chatbots

Common Sense Media's census of AI use by tweens and teens, published in June, surveyed 1,204 US children aged 9 to 17 in March 2026. It found that 67% had used an AI chatbot, rising from 58% among 9- to 12-year-olds to 77% among 16- and 17-year-olds. Among young AI users, 37% said they had used AI to talk about feelings or personal problems. Kids who reported feeling lonely tended to use AI more often, though the report says its single-snapshot design cannot tell which comes first.

The JED Foundation, a youth mental health nonprofit, released its own report on October 27. It draws on responses from more than 5,500 middle and high school students in 21 US schools taking part in JED programs, collected between October 2025 and April 2026. According to JED, 58% of students used AI for schoolwork and 57% turned to it when sad, stressed, lonely or overwhelmed; 12% used it for friendship or companionship.

What the mental health data show

JED reports that students who used AI while struggling emotionally had poorer mental health and well-being and a greater history of suicidal thoughts and attempts. Using AI for companionship was also associated with more anxiety, depression and loneliness. Middle schoolers and girls were among the groups more likely to use AI when distressed.

The report's author, JED psychologist Kayla Anderson, told NPR the data do not establish a causal link: it is unclear whether AI use worsens mental health or whether students who are already struggling are more likely to seek it out. Anne Maheux, a developmental psychologist at the University of North Carolina who was not involved in either survey, told NPR that early work by other researchers suggests the effect may run in both directions. She cited an unpublished study in which middle schoolers who used chatbots for companionship grew lonelier over time.

What the groups recommend

JED says AI should not stand in for trusted adults and calls for products that recognize signs of distress and steer young people towards real support. Common Sense Media's census adds that 39% of children who discussed feelings with AI said a chatbot had pointed them to mental health resources. The census describes the link between loneliness and AI use as unresolved and calls for further research.