Nearly Third of Kids Now Look to AI for Emotional Support—Report
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A new study has found that nearly a third of children are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for emotional support.
While therapy and school counselors have historically been keystones of mental health resources for kids, the current younger generation has a new technology option to turn to.
Why It Matters
AI has skyrocketed in popularity, offering tools to boost productivity in workplace tasks and school assignments.
While children often use technology to assist with research for their papers, AI has also proven particularly effective in helping humans address their mental health issues. However, limited research has been conducted about the possibility of long-term effects.
In a May 2024 YouGov survey, 50 percent of respondents said the 24/7 availability and immediate access made AI chatbots helpful for mental health purposes. And 38 percent cited the chatbots' non-judgmental interactions as a pro.
What To Know
A new report from Norton found that 28 percent of parents said that their children turn to AI for emotional support. This trend is also reflected in the experiences of mental health clinicians.
"I am seeing that a lot of children and young adults are returning to AI resources for emotional support," Kathryn Cross, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks, told Newsweek. "We also see this as a trend on social media. We are seeing people find comfort in AI responses, partly because they are receiving answers based on what they are looking for, rather than evidence-based advice."
Children are facing unique mental health challenges, with 24 percent of parents in the Norton report saying their child has been cyberbullied. Roughly 41 percent also said their children turn to AI for companionship.
Since many children are using tablets by the age of 2 and parents routinely give their kids phones before age 12, according to the Norton survey, the youngest generation may be facing loneliness and searching for meaningful relationships in a new and unprecedented technological environment.
An April Gallup poll found that 79 percent of Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, had used AI tools; however, 41 percent reported experiencing anxiety with the technology. Adult Gen Z-ers were more likely to say that AI made them anxious (53 percent) than their younger, school-age Gen Z-ers (21 percent).
File photo of a smartphone displaying the ChatGPT logo resting on the keyboard of a laptop also displaying a ChatGPT logo.
File photo of a smartphone displaying the ChatGPT logo resting on the keyboard of a laptop also displaying a ChatGPT logo.What People Are Saying
Kathryn Cross, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks, told Newsweek: "While AI can provide what feels like useful insights on personal issues, it can also do damage, seeing as AI tools are unable to ensure long-lasting treatment based on evidence and real-life responses to crises. AI provides emotional support based on an algorithm, and it is programmed to give a response that is suitable for a person based on the wording used and the history that the program is picking up based on an individual's usage."
What Happens Next
The long-term risks of AI usage for therapy or emotional support are unclear, but experts warn that it cannot adequately support people in crisis like a trained human therapist.
"The risk is that if someone is using AI tools as a replacement for therapy or other mental health treatment, these tools are unable to be hands-on with someone who is really in need of an interpersonal relationship," Cross said. "Nothing really compares to human to human contact and support."
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