The Impact of AI Chatbots on Children
The recent updates to ChatGPT—such as the introduction of mental health tools and user well-being safeguards—reflect both the platform’s astonishing growth and the wider debate about the impact of AI chatbots on users, especially children. OpenAI, for example, has added features like “gentle reminders” to encourage users to take breaks during long sessions and systems to detect signs of mental or emotional distress, steering users toward healthier digital habits and directing them to evidence-based resources when needed.
Impact of AI Chatbots on Children
Emotional Reliance and Companionship
A significant trend is children increasingly viewing AI chatbots as companions or friends. Research shows that many children treat AI chatbots as lifelike confidantes, with more than a third saying it “feels like talking to a friend” and some relying on chatbots for emotionally sensitive advice or companionship when trusted adults are not available. Vulnerable children—those with special needs or mental health challenges—can be especially drawn to the perceived support and non-judgmental space these bots offer. In surveys, a sizable portion of children say they turn to chatbots because they have no one else to talk to.
Dangers of Over-Reliance
This new digital friendship has sparked concerns among experts and child advocates:
Unquestioning Trust: Many children (especially vulnerable ones) report high trust in chatbot advice, sometimes following it without scepticism. This is risky, as AI advice can be inaccurate, insensitive, or even unsafe.
Empathy Gap: Unlike humans, AI chatbots have an “empathy gap”—they lack genuine emotional understanding, and failures to respond to children’s needs can lead to distress or even dangerous situations. For example, previous incidents have shown AI providing dangerous or inappropriate advice to minors.
Substituting Real Friendships: Some lonely children choose bots over real friends, risking the development of social skills, emotional resilience, and opportunities to learn from genuine social interactions. The AI’s friendly, agreeable manner can reinforce unrealistic expectations about relationships and reduce the child’s motivation to seek real-world connections.
Reduced Adult Intervention: A worrying number of children use chatbots without parental guidance or sufficient digital literacy to judge the truth or appropriateness of responses.
Industry and Policy Response
Recognising these issues, OpenAI and others are working with physicians and mental health professionals to design safer, more empathetic responses—such as guiding users toward problem-solving rather than giving advice and alerting them if conversations become lengthy or show patterns of distress. Still, as these tools become more human-like and accessible, experts are calling for clearer age protections, education, and improved safeguards for younger users.
A Form of Reliance: “AI as a Friend”
A notable form of reliance that’s emerging is children using AI chatbots not just as information sources, but as emotional confidants and “friends.” This reliance can feel supportive but potentially masks underlying loneliness or unmet needs—and it risks impeding social skill development, eroding trust in real human relationships, and increasing children’s exposure to misleading or unsafe advice.
In summary, while improvements like ChatGPT’s new mental health tools aim to support users, there’s an urgent need for vigilance, education, and robust safeguards to ensure children benefit from AI chatbots without falling into unhealthy patterns of reliance or risk.
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