The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds
A significant number of teens say conversations with AI chatbots feel more satisfying than talking with actual humans, and one in three say they would choose AI companions over people for serious conversations.
Those numbers may seem shocking, but loneliness is now considered a public health crisis on par with smoking 15 cigarettes a day. As such, it appears young people are turning to AI for companionship. ChatGPT alone has massive weekly usage worldwide, with therapy and companionship ranking among the top reasons people use these digital confidants. For some, especially younger individuals, the appeal goes beyond convenience.
Researchers Susan Shelmerdine from Great Ormond Street Hospital and Matthew Nour from the University of Oxford examined how AI chatbot use intersects with the growing loneliness epidemic. Their analysis, published in The BMJ, points to a complicated and growing problem: while specialized chatbots designed as mental health tools show promise in controlled settings, everyday use of general-purpose chatbots appears connected to troubling patterns.
Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/1-in-10-teens-prefer-chatbots-to-humans/