Teens are increasingly turning to AI companions, and it could be harming them

Victoria, Aug 6 (The Conversation) Teenagers are increasingly turning to AI companions for friendship, support, and even romance. But these apps could be changing how young people connect to others, both online and off. New research by Common Sense Media, a US-based non-profit organisation that reviews various media and technologies, has found about three in four US teens have used AI companion apps such as Character.ai or Replika.ai. These apps let users create digital friends or romantic partners they can chat with any time, using text, voice or video. The study, which surveyed 1,060 US teens aged 1317, found one