Global study: a third of young people have an AI companion; minors are a large share of character chat app users
A global survey finds a third of young people have an AI companion while close friendships narrow. Other reports say minors make up a large share of AI character chat app users, and concern over addiction is growing in South Korea.
Who is affected and how
- student
- An AI companion can create emotional dependence that may crowd out real relationships.
- parent
- Parents should keep an eye on their child's use of character chat apps and the time spent on them.
- teacher
- Weakening ties between students may show up in the classroom community.
- education policymaker
- Age limits and regulation for AI companions are now coming onto the agenda.
- edtech company
- For products reaching young users, engagement patterns and age verification may come under scrutiny.
Sources
- Global study finds a third of young people have an AI companion as close friendships narrowwww.christiandaily.com · Sep 11, 2026
- Global study finds a third of young people have an AI companion - Christian Daily Internationalchristiandaily.com · Sep 11, 2026
- One in three young people may see AI as a romantic partnernoklapja.hu · Sep 8, 2026 · magyar
- Minors make up big share of users of AI character chat apps, raising protection challengesdigitaltoday.co.kr · Sep 7, 2026
- Rising Concerns Over Youth Addiction to AI Chatbots in South Korea | Aju Pressajupress.com · Sep 8, 2026 · magyar
Machine-generated summary based on the titles and excerpts of the source articles. The facts come from the linked article.