Advocate warns against teen use of AI companions as study shows heavy use by demographic

Until more safeguards are in place for artificially intelligent companions like Character.AI or Replika to "eliminate relational manipulation and emotional dependency risks," nonprofit media and technology reviewer Common Sense Media recommends that no one under the age of 18 should use them. The warning follows the release of a report by the organization on Wednesday called "Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions." Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 1,060 teens conducted in April and May 2025, the data shows that 72% of teenagers aged...