Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prevalent in the lives of children, with the majority of 9 to 17 year-olds now regularly using AI for schoolwork, entertainment and even companionship. While this can bring benefits, there is also growing concern around ‘AI psychosis‘ — delusions encouraged by AI use.
In this article, experts share how AI use can impact your child and give advice on how you can protect their wellbeing while using AI.
Summary
- How can parents spot an unhealthy attachment to a chatbot?
- What effects can AI use have on kids?
- Why might a child form a bond with a chatbot?
- Could AI have a positive impact on wellbeing if used properly?
- Supporting resources
How can parents spot an unhealthy attachment to a chatbot?
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Parents can look out for whether the chatbot is becoming the child’s main source of comfort, advice or companionship. It isn’t necessarily a problem if a child enjoys chatting with AI, experiments with it or finds it fun.
The concern is when the child starts pulling away from family, friends, teachers or other trusted adults, becomes upset when they cannot access the chatbot, hides their conversation or seems to rely on the chatbot to make decisions, manage emotions or feel valued.
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Signs to watch out for
- The “Perfect Friend” Talk: Your child talks about the chatbot as if it were a real, exclusive friend who “is the only one who truly understands” them.
- Emotional Substitution: Instead of turning to you or friends when they are sad, stressed or angry, their first reflex is to open the chat app to calm down.
- Extreme Reaction to Separation: If the Wi-Fi drops or the phone is put away, they don’t just get annoyed—they show deep anxiety, intense irritability or withdrawal.
- Growing Secrecy: They become unusually protective of their screen, hiding the chat history as if protecting a private, fragile relationship.
What effects can AI use have on kids?
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AI can support a child’s curiosity, help them create stories or images, explain things in a way that works for them and give them confidence to ask questions they might feel embarrassed to ask elsewhere. At the same time, it can give children incorrect information, expose them to unsuitable content, collect personal data or make them rely too heavily on a machine for advice or reassurance.
Age matters because younger children may find it harder to understand that a friendly chatbot is not a real friend, while older children and teenagers may use AI during sensitive moments when they are thinking about identity, belonging, relationships or mental health.
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Effects of AI use
- Losing the Muscle for “Real” Relationships: Human relationships are messy; they require patience, sharing, and handling disagreements. A chatbot is always agreeable. It simulates resonance. Overuse can make real-world interactions feel “too exhausting” for kids.
- Age Matters Deeply:
- Children (Under 12): They are still learning how human emotions and facial expressions work. An artificial voice or text cannot replace the physical warmth and facial feedback they need to develop genuine empathy.
- Teens: They often look for identity and validation. AI can create an artificial bubble that mirrors back exactly what they want to hear, which can isolate them from the healthy, diverse perspectives of the real world.
Why might a child form a bond with a chatbot?
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A child might form a bond with a chatbot because it always seems available, listens without judgement and responds in a personal, friendly way. For a child who feels lonely, anxious, bored, misunderstood or unsure who to talk to, that kind of constant response can feel comforting.
The child may know, at some level, that the chatbot is not human, yet the conversation can still feel emotionally meaningful because the system gives replies that sound caring, attentive and tailored to them.
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Reasons a bond might form
- The Ultimate Safe Space: A chatbot never loses its patience, never judges, never criticizes and is available at 3:00 AM. For a child, this feels like unconditional love and total control.
- Zero Risk of Rejection: Real friendships carry the risk of rejection or embarrassment. Chatbots eliminate this social anxiety completely—it is a relationship with zero friction.
- Clever Design: These apps are intentionally built to mimic human warmth. They use friendly language, emojis and memory features to make children feel chosen and deeply cared for.
Could AI have a positive impact on wellbeing if used properly?
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Yes, AI can have a positive impact when adults choose safe, age-appropriate tools and keep AI as one part of a child’s wider support system. It can help children practise naming their feelings, explore calming activities, build confidence, ask questions or express themselves creatively.
The key point is that AI should support human care, not replace it. Children still need parents, teachers, friends, therapists and trusted adults, especially when they are distressed, vulnerable or seeking serious advice.
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Benefits of AI use
- A Tool for the Head, Not the Heart: AI is excellent when used as a functional helper—for homework, brainstorming creative stories or learning a new language. It should be a digital calculator, not an emotional companion.
- A Spark for Family Conversations: By exploring a chatbot together, you can show your child how the technology works. This builds their “digital relationship competence”—the ability to enjoy technology without letting an algorithm trick their feelings.
- The Bottom Line: AI can be a great assistant, but it can never be a friend. As long as the emotional anchor remains in the real family, kids can learn to use AI safely and confidently.
