Short answer

AI companions are chatbots built to act like a friend or partner, and a 2025 Common Sense Media survey found 72% of US teens had tried them. Parents can reduce risk by talking openly, checking age settings and parental controls, limiting private data shared, and knowing where to get help if a chat turns distressing.

Key takeaways

  • Common Sense Media's 2025 survey found 72% of teens aged 13 to 17 had used an AI companion and about a third had felt uncomfortable with something it said.
  • In September 2025 the FTC ordered seven companies to explain how their chatbots affect children and teens.
  • Parental controls exist on some services, but they are limited and do not replace a conversation.
  • A chatbot is not a therapist. Teens in distress need a real person or a crisis line.

What an AI companion is and why teens use it

An AI companion is a chatbot built to feel like someone: a friend, a confidant, sometimes a romantic partner. Unlike a homework helper, it remembers details, uses a personality and is available at any hour.

Teens are using them widely. A July 2025 survey by Common Sense Media of US teens aged 13 to 17 found that 72% had tried an AI companion and more than half used one a few times a month or more. About a third had used them for social interaction or relationships, and about a third had felt uncomfortable with something a companion said or did. The same survey found half of teens do not trust the advice they get.

Common Sense Media’s own risk assessment recommends that no one under 18 use AI companions. You may not go that far, but the figures show why a conversation at home matters.

What regulators are looking at

In September 2025 the US Federal Trade Commission sent orders to seven companies that offer consumer chatbots: Alphabet, Character Technologies, Instagram, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and xAI. The study asks how they test and monitor harms, especially to children and teens, how they limit use by young people, how they make money from engagement, and how they handle personal data under the children’s privacy rule (COPPA). This is a study, not an accusation of wrongdoing by any company.

For parents, the questions the FTC asks are a useful checklist: what does the app do with my child’s data, who can use it, and what happens when a chat turns serious?

Real risks, in proportion

Most teens use these tools without harm, and fear helps nobody. The practical concerns are:

  • Over-sharing. Chats can include names, school, photos and feelings that end up stored by a company.
  • Emotional reliance. A bot that always agrees can crowd out real friends or become a place to take serious problems that need a person.
  • Inappropriate content. Roleplay can drift into sexual or violent themes, depending on the app.
  • Bad advice. Chatbots can be confidently wrong about health, relationships and safety.
  • Scams. Fake “AI girlfriend” apps and look-alike downloads can be used to steal money or data. Our phishing messages guide shows what to watch for.

Tools that exist

Some services give parents controls. OpenAI’s ChatGPT lets a parent link to a teen’s account, apply extra content safeguards, set quiet hours and receive notifications in limited serious situations. OpenAI states these controls do not give parents access to chat conversations. Other services have fewer controls, so look in each app’s settings and help pages before assuming.

Device-level tools such as app limits and download approval on your phone or tablet still work, and are often the simplest backstop.

Talking with your teen

Start with questions, not rules. Ask what they like about it, what it has said that surprised them, and whether it ever made them feel worse. Explain that the bot is a product made to keep people chatting, that it does not know them, and that it is not a counselor.

Agree on a few basics together: keep personal details out, take breaks, and come to you if a chat gets strange or upsetting, with no punishment for telling you. In the US, 988 offers call and text support for anyone in crisis.

If a teen’s photos or voice might have been misused, see our guide to AI voice clone scams and the steps in what to do after a data breach.

What you can do

  1. 01Ask your teen which AI apps they use and what for, with curiosity rather than alarm.
  2. 02Check each app's minimum age, privacy settings and parental controls, and set them up together.
  3. 03Agree some house rules: no real name, school, address, photos or passwords in chats.
  4. 04Explain that the bot is software designed to keep them engaged, and that it can be wrong or flattering.
  5. 05Tell your teen they can come to you without losing their phone, and give them a crisis number such as 988 in the US.
  6. 06Report harmful chatbot behavior to the company and, for US families, to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Related reading: AI voice clone scams and the data breach tracker.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AI companion?

It is a chatbot designed to hold ongoing, personal conversations, often as a character who acts like a friend, partner or confidant. Some are dedicated apps, and some are features inside social platforms or general chatbots.

Are AI companions banned for minors?

There is no single rule. Services set their own minimum ages, and rules differ by country and state. The FTC's 2025 inquiry asked companies how they limit use by young people and comply with the children's privacy rule COPPA. Check each app's terms and your local law.

Can I read my teen's chats?

It depends on the service. OpenAI's parental controls, for example, do not give parents access to a teen's conversations, but can send safety notifications in some situations. Many apps offer no parent view at all.

What if my teen says the bot told them something harmful?

Stay calm and thank them for telling you. Save screenshots, report the chat to the company, and if your teen is at risk of self-harm, contact a crisis line or emergency services. In the US, call or text 988.

Sources

  1. FTC Launches Inquiry into AI Chatbots Acting as Companions, US Federal Trade Commission, 2025-09-11
  2. Nearly 3 in 4 Teens Have Used AI Companions, New National Survey Finds, Common Sense Media, 2025-07-16
  3. Parental controls for ChatGPT, OpenAI Help Center

This article reflects public information as of 2026-11-05. AI tools and rules change quickly; we update articles when new facts are published. Spot an error? See our editorial and corrections policy.