For better or worse, young people are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/11/health/mental-health-adolescents-chatbot-ai-wellness When today’s teenagers and young adults are struggling emotionally, some are turning not only to friends, family members and therapists but also to artificial intelligence. Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents and young adults have used AI chatbots for advice or help when they felt upset, nervous or anxious, according to a new study published June 1 in JAMA Pediatrics: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2849307 Researchers also found that many of these young people use chatbots repeatedly and consider the advice helpful, suggesting that AI is already becoming part of the mental health information ecosystem for millions of young people. Those insights are raising important questions about how these tools should be used and where their limitations lie.