Artificial intelligence is now even intruding into the romantic lives of teenagers. According to a survey conducted by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), nearly one in five high school students say they have had a romantic relationship with an AI, or know someone who has. More broadly, 42% of students surveyed report using a chatbot or AI app to keep them company. The study, conducted in the United States among a thousand students, as many parents, and 800 teachers, highlights the scale of the phenomenon and its collateral effects. Nearly all of the young people surveyed (86%) have used an artificial intelligence tool in the past year, often for academic purposes, but also for personal purposes. According to the researchers, the more schools use AI for learning, the more students report having established emotional connections with these systems.
Intimate uses, but also increased risks
Elizabeth Laird, one of the report's authors, points out that this proximity to AI can expose teenagers to new dangers: data breaches, deepfakes, and online harassment. Schools that rely heavily on these tools are also those that report the most cybersecurity incidents. Nearly 30% of teachers who use AI heavily say their school has already suffered a data breach. The researchers also observed a worrying trend: in schools where AI is omnipresent, students are more likely to say they feel less connected to their teachers and more dependent on technology to meet emotional or psychological needs. Some use chatbots to talk about their unhappiness, seek comfort, or even simulate a romantic relationship.
Teenagers seeking emotional support
Nearly a third of students admit to having interacted with an AI about personal matters using school-issued devices. For Laird, this blurred line between educational tool and digital confidant raises serious data protection and mental health issues. “Students need to understand that they are not talking to a person, but to a tool with well-known limitations,” she insists. The CDT calls for better teacher training and clear supervision of these uses. Only 11% of teachers surveyed received training to identify situations where AI could harm a student’s well-being. The researchers recommend integrating real AI education into schools, focusing on critical thinking, privacy, and digital relationships. This study illustrates a rapid shift: artificial intelligence is no longer limited to classrooms or search engines. She becomes an emotional, sometimes intimate, interlocutor for a generation in search of listening and reference points, at the risk of blurring the line between human and machine even further.
