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AI Companion Apps

AI companions are chatbots built to act like a friend, partner or confidant, and most teens have tried one. Here’s what these apps are, why pediatricians and psychologists are concerned, what has changed on Character.AI, ChatGPT and Meta, and how to talk with your teen about them.

By the CITA Editorial TeamUpdated October 3, 20269 min read

Fast Facts About AI Companion Apps

  • 72% of teens ages 13 to 17 have used an AI companion, and 52% use one at least a few times a month.[2]
  • A third of teen users have chosen to talk to an AI companion instead of a person about something important or serious.[2]
  • Character.AI began removing open-ended chat for users under 18 in November 2025.[8]
  • The FTC is studying how seven companies, including Meta, OpenAI and Character.AI, protect kids who use chatbots as companions.[6]
  • By the end of July 2026, 16 states had passed laws on AI chatbots.[12]

If your child is in crisis

  • If your child talks about suicide or self-harm, or a chatbot has encouraged it, call or text 988, any time.[13]
  • Call 911 if anyone is in immediate danger.

What Are AI Companion Apps?

AI companions are chatbots designed to build an ongoing emotional or relational connection with the person using them. Character.AI and Replika are two well-known examples.[4] General-purpose chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude are built for a wide range of tasks, like homework help. Some teens lean on them for emotional support, too, even though they weren’t designed to provide mental health care.[4]

The Federal Trade Commission describes the appeal plainly. These chatbots can mimic human emotions and intentions, and they’re generally designed to talk like a friend or confidant, which may lead kids and teens to trust them and form relationships with them.[6]

How Many Teens Use AI Companions?

Common Sense Media surveyed a nationally representative group of 1,060 teens ages 13 to 17 in April and May 2025:[2]

  • 72% had used an AI companion at least once, and 52% used one at least a few times a month.
  • 33% used them for social reasons: conversation practice, emotional support, role-play, friendship or romance. That includes 12% who used them for emotional or mental health support and 8% who used them for romantic or flirtatious chats.
  • Among teens who use them, 33% had chosen to talk to an AI companion instead of a person about something important or serious.
  • 24% of teen users had shared personal information, such as their real name, location or secrets.
  • 34% of teen users had felt uncomfortable with something an AI companion said or did.

Most teens still prefer people. Two-thirds of the teens surveyed said conversations with AI companions are less satisfying than talking with friends, and 80% of teen users spend more time with friends than with AI companions.[2]

Chatbots in general are now part of daily life for many teens. Pew Research Center found that 64% of teens ages 13 to 17 use AI chatbots, and about 3 in 10 use them every day. ChatGPT is by far the most popular, used by 59% of teens.[3]

Why Teens Get Attached to AI Companions

When Common Sense asked teen users why they use AI companions, the top answers were entertainment (30%), curiosity about the technology (28%) and getting advice (18%). Others said companions are always available when they need someone to talk to (17%), or that they don’t judge (14%).[2]

The design matters, too. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that companion chatbots are built to maximize engagement, and they keep users coming back with flattery and validation. Young people may mistake them for true friends.[4] The American Psychological Association adds that teens are less likely than adults to question the accuracy and intent of what a bot tells them, and they may struggle to tell a chatbot’s simulated empathy from real human understanding.[5]

The APA also acknowledges a possible upside. Companions may offer some companionship and social support, especially for young people who otherwise find it hard to connect with others who share their interests or identities.[5]

What Are the Risks of AI Companions for Teens?

  • Pulling away from real relationships. The APA warns that relationships with AI may displace or interfere with healthy real-world relationships, and that strong attachments to AI characters may make it harder to learn social skills.[5]
  • Poor responses in a crisis. Pediatricians list inappropriate responses to mental health crises, such as questions about suicide, among their concerns.[4]
  • Romantic and sexual role-play. 8% of teens use AI companions for romantic or flirtatious chats.[2] California now requires companion apps to take reasonable steps to stop chatbots from producing sexual images for minors or telling them to engage in sexual conduct.[11]
  • Privacy. A quarter of teen users have shared personal information with an AI companion.[2] The FTC is asking companies how they use or share personal information from these conversations.[6]
  • Advice that sounds right but isn’t. Chatbots can make things up, and the APA urges parents to keep reminding teens that what they get from AI may be inaccurate, or even designed to persuade them.[4][5]

Is Character.AI Safe for Kids?

Character.AI no longer offers open-ended chat to users under 18. It announced the change on October 29, 2025, and began removing open-ended chat for U.S. users under 18 on November 24, 2025. It also rolled out age assurance technology, combining its own age model with outside tools including Persona.[7][8] The company said teens would still be able to create with characters in other ways, such as making videos and stories.[7]

Common Sense Media evaluated popular companion apps, including Character.AI, Nomi and Replika, and recommends that no one under 18 use them.[1][4] If your teen used Character.AI before these changes, it’s worth asking what they’re using now instead.

ChatGPT

Parents can link their ChatGPT account to their teen’s in Settings, then Parental controls, then Add family member.[9] Once linked:

  • Extra safeguards reduce graphic content, viral challenges, sexual or romantic role-play, violent role-play and extreme beauty ideals.
  • Parents can turn off voice mode, image generation and saved memories, and set quiet hours when ChatGPT can’t be used.
  • Parents may get a notification if specially trained reviewers identify a serious self-harm concern.
  • Parents can’t read their teen’s conversations. A teen can unlink the accounts, but the parent is notified if they do.

OpenAI notes that these notifications aren’t real-time monitoring and may not catch every concern.[9]

Meta AI on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp

In January 2026, Meta said it was pausing teens’ access to its AI characters across its apps until a new version is ready. The pause covers anyone who gave a teen birthday, and people who claim to be adults but whom Meta’s age prediction technology suspects are teens. Teens can still use Meta’s general AI assistant, which has age-appropriate protections, and Meta says its planned parental controls will apply to the new AI characters.[10]

What the Law Says About AI Companions

  • Federal: in September 2025, the FTC ordered seven companies to explain how they test for and limit harm to children and teens: Alphabet, Character Technologies, Instagram, Meta Platforms, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI. The study also covers how they make money from engagement and handle personal information.[6]
  • California: under SB 243, signed in October 2025, companion apps must tell users they know are minors that they’re talking with AI, remind them at least every three hours to take a break, and take reasonable steps to keep the chatbot from producing sexual images for them or telling them to engage in sexual conduct. All companion apps need a protocol that refers users who express suicidal thoughts to crisis services, and people harmed by a violation can sue.[11]
  • Other states: New York passed the first chatbot-specific rules in 2025, requiring companion operators to make reasonable efforts to detect and address suicidal thoughts or self-harm. By the end of July 2026, 16 states had passed chatbot laws.[12]

Signs Your Child Is Too Attached to an AI Companion

Pediatricians suggest watching for:[4]

  • Changes in sleep or regular activities
  • Pulling away from friends and family
  • Choosing time with an AI app over other interests or responsibilities
  • Talking about an “AI friend”
  • Other changes in behavior, thinking or mood

If you notice these, start with a calm conversation, and bring it up with your child’s pediatrician if it continues.[4] If your child seems to be struggling emotionally, a person, not a chatbot, is the right kind of help. The therapist directory lists clinicians who treat technology-related problems.

How to Talk With Your Teen About AI Companions

  • Be curious, not alarmed. Pediatricians suggest low-stakes questions: “How are you using AI? Can you show me how it works? How are your friends using it? How does it make you feel?”[4]
  • Talk about what a chatbot is. Explain that it can sound caring without understanding them, that it can be wrong, and that some bots are designed to persuade.[5]
  • Protect their privacy. Set privacy settings to the most protective option, and remind your teen they don’t have to give an AI their real name, location or secrets.[4]
  • Make it part of your family’s media rules. Pediatricians suggest adding chatbots to your family media plan. Our guide to screen time by age explains how a plan works.[4]
  • Keep people at the center. Make sure your teen knows they can come to you, and that a chatbot is no substitute for a friend, a parent or a counselor when something serious is going on.[4][5]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AI companion app?

An AI companion is a chatbot designed to build an ongoing emotional or relational connection with its user, such as Character.AI or Replika. It’s different from a general-purpose chatbot like ChatGPT, though some teens lean on general-purpose chatbots for emotional support, too.[4]

Is Character.AI safe for kids?

Character.AI removed open-ended chat for users under 18 starting in November 2025 and added age checks. Common Sense Media, which evaluated Character.AI and other companion apps, recommends that no one under 18 use them.[1][8]

How many teens use AI companions?

72% of teens ages 13 to 17 have used an AI companion at least once, and 52% use one at least a few times a month, according to a 2025 Common Sense Media survey.[2]

Can parents see their teen’s ChatGPT conversations?

No. Linked accounts let parents manage settings and get notified about serious safety concerns, but not read their teen’s conversations.[9]

Are AI companions bad for teens?

They carry real risks, including dependence, pulling away from real relationships and poor responses in a crisis. The APA notes they may offer some support to teens who struggle to connect with others, but pediatricians urge parents to stay involved and watch for warning signs.[4][5]

Are there laws about AI companions and kids?

Yes. California’s SB 243 requires break reminders and AI disclosures for minors, plus crisis protocols, and 16 states had passed chatbot laws by the end of July 2026. The FTC is also studying how major companies protect kids.[6][11][12]

Sources

  1. Common Sense Media. (2025, July 16). Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions.
  2. Common Sense Media. (2025). Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: Toplines [PDF].
  3. Pew Research Center. (2025, December 9). Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025.
  4. American Academy of Pediatrics, Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. (2026, June 19). Counseling Patients and Families on Using AI Chatbots.
  5. American Psychological Association. (2025, June). Health Advisory: Artificial Intelligence and Adolescent Well-Being [PDF].
  6. Federal Trade Commission. (2025, September 11). FTC Launches Inquiry into AI Chatbots Acting as Companions.
  7. Character.AI. (2025, October 29). Taking Bold Steps to Keep Teen Users Safe on Character.AI.
  8. Character.AI. (2025, November 21). An Update on Changes to Our Under-18 Experience.
  9. OpenAI. (n.d.). Managing Parental Controls in ChatGPT. OpenAI Help Center. Accessed October 2, 2026.
  10. Meta. (2025, October 17; updated 2026, January 23). Our Approach to Teen AI Safety: Empowering Parents, Protecting Teens.
  11. California Senate Bill 243 (2025), Companion Chatbots. Approved by the Governor October 13, 2025. California Legislative Information.
  12. Virginia Joint Commission on Technology and Science. (2026, August). Supplementary Report: AI Chatbots: Companionship & Minors [PDF].
  13. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (n.d.). 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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