AI Chatbots Have Moved Quickly from Novelty to Daily Emotional Support

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2026 – Artificial intelligence chatbots have moved quickly from novelty to daily emotional support, with a majority of teens engaging with chatbots, and many preferring AI to human companionship.

That’s according to research conducted by Common Sense Media, an educational group. More than 70 percent of teens are using chatbots for companionship, and about half report regular use, said Amina Fazlullah , head of tech policy at Common Sense.

Speaking on a panel about “Chatting with Machines: Mental Health, AI Companions, and the New Psychology of Connection,” Fazlullah added that roughly 30 percent of teens said they preferred engaging with chatbots “as much or more than other humans.”

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