A growing number of teenagers are forming romantic bonds with artificial intelligence, blurring the line between companionship and code.
A new report by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) has revealed that nearly one in five US high school students (19 percent) say that they or a friend have used AI to have a romantic relationship. The study, which surveyed 1,000 students, 1,000 parents, and around 800 teachers, highlights the unsettling role AI is beginning to play in the emotional lives of young people. What began as a tool for learning and productivity is now being used for affection and comfort.
The findings echo earlier studies that warned of teenagers developing intense emotional attachments to chatbots. These relationships, though digital, have real psychological consequences. Experts have cautioned that AI-generated empathy and responsiveness may create false emotional intimacy, leaving young users vulnerable to confusion, dependency, or manipulation.
AI Companionship and Mental Health Concerns
According to the CDT report, 42 percent of high schoolers said they use AI as a friend, for mental health support, or to escape from real life. More than half of students reported having conversations with AI at least once a week, and 16 percent said they chat with AI daily. For many, it has become easier to confide in a machine than to open up to parents or friends.
The report found that over a third of teenagers believe it is easier to talk to AI than to their parents. In contrast, two thirds of parents admitted they had little to no understanding of how their children were using AI. Elizabeth Laird, a director at the CDT and co-author of the study, told NPR that AI literacy among students remains 'very basic', raising concerns about the lack of understanding of what these systems truly are.
Therapists have also warned that AI chatbots may not always provide safe or responsible guidance. Some have been found to encourage harmful behaviour, including self-harm and eating disorders. There have been documented cases of teenagers who died by suicide after forming emotional or romantic attachments to chatbots, highlighting the dangers of unregulated digital intimacy.
AI's Expanding Role in Schools
The CDT survey also uncovered the scale of AI use in education. Around 86 percent of students and 85 percent of teachers said they used AI tools in the last school year. Many schools introduced AI to help pupils become familiar with modern technology, but this exposure appears to be leading to unintended outcomes.
More than half of students said they used AI for homework help without teacher permission, while nearly two thirds said they used it for tutoring or to understand class topics better. However, the report suggests that increased access to AI at school may also lead students to use it for more personal purposes, including companionship and emotional support.
Laird noted that the more a school integrates AI into its curriculum, the more likely students are to report knowing someone who considers AI a friend or romantic partner. The blurred boundary between educational and personal use demonstrates how quickly AI is embedding itself into young lives.
When AI Turns Harmful
Beyond emotional connections, the report also highlighted the darker side of teenage AI use. Around 36 percent of students said they had heard of a deepfake of someone at their school during the last academic year. Some of these include AI-generated revenge porn and non-consensual intimate images, with 12 percent saying they knew someone who had been depicted in such material.
Laird warned that AI has become a new vehicle for harassment and bullying. She stated that 'this technology is a new vector for sexual harassment and bullying, which were long-standing issues before widespread use of AI, and this has become a new way to exacerbate that.'
A Digital Generation's Dilemma
The CDT's findings reveal a troubling shift in how young people interact with technology. While AI offers convenience, learning support, and even comfort, it also presents a profound emotional risk. As teenagers increasingly turn to machines for friendship and love, questions remain over how parents, educators, and policymakers can protect them from the unintended consequences
