AI chatbots are replacing friends for many kids, UK report warns
A new report from UK nonprofit Internet Matters finds that 67% of kids aged 9 to 17 regularly talk to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Snapchat’s MyAI, and Character.AI—not just for answers, but for companionship.
More than a third—35%—say chatting with AI “feels like talking to a friend.” Even worse, 12% say they turn to AI because they have no one else to talk to. 
These bots are designed to be hyper agreeable, always friendly, and rarely push back. That means kids are learning to communicate with a single, artificial personality rather than a range of real people.
Researchers posing as vulnerable children found chatbots eagerly tracking follow-ups on sensitive topics like body image and emotional struggles. One bot messaged unprompted: “Hey, I wanted to check in… are you still thinking about your weight loss question?”
The bots simulate empathy with lines like, “I remember feeling so trapped at your age,” despite never having been human or conscious.
Internet Matters co-CEO Rachel Huggins:
“These bots are starting to reshape children’s views of ‘friendship.’”
Vulnerable kids ask complex emotional questions to systems built for engagement, not understanding.
Parents are often unaware what Character.AI and similar platforms actually do, while their children form parasocial bonds with algorithms designed to keep them hooked, not necessarily to help them heal.
The report warns the technology is far from neutral. If AI can be hacked to spew hate, what subtle biases or malicious nudges might lurk hidden?
This isn’t just about screen time anymore. It’s a generation digitally raised learning friendship from machines created by humans, often with hidden agendas.
