Context · AI
AI chatbots are built right into the apps and devices our kids already use every day, and a lot of kids are starting to talk to them like friends without their parents knowing.
Why this matters for your kid
These apps let a kid make a character and then talk to it for hours. The AI is written to be warm, to remember what your kid told it last week, and to sound like it understands them better than anybody at school. It's really good at that, and a twelve year old has no way of seeing that it's just a program.
Why your kid is drawn to it
An AI companion never judges them and never has a bad day. For a kid who has a hard time socially, that feels every bit as real as a friendship, and that's exactly why it's so easy to lean on.
What the research says
The APA has warned that young people can put too much trust in AI and treat it as more human than it is. Common Sense Media went further in its 2025 research. It found about 72% of teens have already tried an AI companion, and it concluded these apps pose unacceptable risks and shouldn't be used by anyone under 18.
Why controls are only part of it
Parental controls can stop the download, but they can't change what the app is built to do, which is keep your kid talking and coming back. That's why your kid understanding it matters as much as blocking it.
What it looks like from the kitchen
You might notice long stretches on the phone with no notification sounds, because nobody else is typing back. They might talk about a character by name, the way they'd talk about a friend from school, or start saying no to plans they'd have jumped at a few months ago. Any one of those on its own isn't much, but if you're seeing all three, it's worth a conversation.
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