{"id":9781,"date":"2026-04-21T07:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T07:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/9781\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T07:47:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T07:47:09","slug":"the-myriad-complex-ways-young-people-use-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/9781\/","title":{"rendered":"The Myriad Complex Ways Young People Use AI"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today\u2019s young people are the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence systems during a formative period of building identity and connection, and many turn to AI for emotional support and social interaction. But a new report<\/a> from The Rithm Project<\/a> finds a more nuanced picture of how they engage with the technology.<\/p>\n

Last fall, the organization surveyed nearly 2,400 people ages 13 to 24\u2014including more than 500 young adults ages 18 to 24\u2014on how their AI use intersects with their social lives, emotional well-being and relationships. The data, collected in partnership with YouGov<\/a>, was weighted to be nationally representative across age, gender, race and geography in the United States.<\/p>\n

Respondents fell into four groups: 28\u00a0percent said they use AI infrequently or not at all, 39\u00a0percent use it for information and tasks, 18\u00a0percent use it for personal or relational support, and 15\u00a0percent said they interact with AI characters\u2014the most intimate form of use identified in the study, which defined it as ongoing engagement with \u201chumanlike\u201d systems.<\/p>\n

Alison Lee, chief research and development officer at The Rithm Project, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering meaningful human connection in the age of AI, said that people may be overestimating the number of young people engaging in high-risk AI companionship while underestimating how AI is shaping their relationships and sense of connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be more precise about the spectrum of how young people are engaging with AI\u2014and, more importantly, ask why,\u201d she added. \u201cWhat we\u2019re finding is that their human relationships are really shaping how they enter into AI use.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation<\/a> (JED)\u2014which contributed to the research with The Rithm Project\u2014said the way young people approach AI mirrors how earlier generations encountered social media, when they pioneered its use and their parents tagged along.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a generation of adults encountering AI tools at the same time as their children\u2014similar to what happened with social media,\u201d Erickson-Schroth said. \u201cThat makes it harder for adults to give guidance, set boundaries and have meaningful conversations, because they don\u2019t fully understand the context.\u201d<\/p>\n

Patterns of AI use: The four groups were further divided into nine distinct portraits of young people, the report said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we realized, even within this first pass of AI usage, is that similar behaviors can mask very different underlying motivations and relational contexts,\u201d Lee said. \u201cThat\u2019s where the portraits emerged. We tried to go a layer deeper and ask what relational environments and social supports might be shaping how young people arrive at the same kinds of AI use\u2014but for very different reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among those who use AI infrequently or not at all, two profiles emerged. \u201cThe Conscious Abstainer,\u201d representing 55\u00a0percent of this group, tends to distrust AI or view it as harmful, while \u201cThe AI Non-Participant,\u201d making up the remainder, demonstrates limited understanding of how to use AI or uncertainty about its value.<\/p>\n

Researchers also identified two additional portraits among those who use AI for information and tasks. \u201cThe Intentional Connector,\u201d representing 53\u00a0percent of the group, reports strong social networks and rarely feels lonely, often prioritizing in-person interactions. By contrast, \u201cThe Brave Face,\u201d at 47\u00a0percent, maintains moderate social connections but still experiences loneliness and isolation.<\/p>\n

For those using AI for personal and relational support, the report again identified two groups. \u201cThe Social Processor,\u201d representing 53\u00a0percent, typically uses AI as a tool for reflection or rehearsal rather than relying on it as a primary source of support. \u201cThe Private Processor,\u201d at 47\u00a0percent, is more likely to turn to AI over other people when dealing with difficult emotions, suggesting the technology may be filling a gap in their support systems.<\/p>\n

Among the most intensive users\u2014those interacting with AI characters\u2014the report identified three portraits, with some respondents fitting more than one. \u201cThe Bestie,\u201d representing 60\u00a0percent, engages with AI in deeply personal ways, treating it as a friend, family member or romantic partner. \u201cThe Gamer,\u201d at 54\u00a0percent, uses AI for creative role play and interaction with fictional characters, often demonstrating high or compulsive use. \u201cThe Expert Seeker,\u201d representing 47\u00a0percent, turns to AI for guidance in roles like therapist or coach, valuing its accessibility but also showing signs of reliance.<\/p>\n

Other research reinforces this broader pattern. A study<\/a> from Surgo Health found that about 12\u00a0percent of young people reporting mental health challenges said they turned to generative AI to talk through their feelings. While short-term emotional relief was common, the study found it did not consistently translate into positive long-term outcomes. When AI was used alongside broader support systems, benefits were more likely. But when it functioned as a substitute for human connection, outcomes were more often neutral or negative.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest predictors of high-risk AI use are when young people feel they can\u2019t be real with the people around them, feel like a burden when they share their problems and feel like they have no one to turn to when they need help,\u201d Lee, of The Rithm Project, said. \u201cConversely, the strongest protective factors are having people who make them feel they matter, and relationships where they can be their unfiltered selves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat has major implications for the institutions that hold human relationships, like colleges,\u201d she added. \u201cHow do we build environments where young people feel seen, feel safe being themselves and feel like they matter\u2014so they\u2019re not afraid to ask for help?\u201d<\/p>\n

Erickson-Schroth agreed, noting that \u201cyoung people are really smart\u2014once you start talking about these ideas, they engage quickly, ask questions and want to understand how these systems are built.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdults don\u2019t always see the ways that young people are actively making choices about their engagement with technology,\u201d she added. \u201cMany young people are really discerning about how they use AI\u00a0\u2026 and I think that\u2019s what\u2019s missing from the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bigger picture: The nine portraits \u201crepresent a snapshot in time rather than fixed categories,\u201d the report notes, pointing to larger trends in how young people engage with AI and suggesting new portraits could emerge as the technology evolves.<\/p>\n

The findings also carry implications for the adults and institutions shaping young people\u2019s AI use.<\/p>\n

For mental health professionals, that means moving beyond simply asking whether they use AI to understand the role it plays in their emotional lives. For policymakers, the report calls for safer, less \u201canthropomorphic\u201d AI systems and regulations that reward platforms for strengthening real-world connection, skill building and help seeking.<\/p>\n

For educators, the report urges shifting conversations beyond academics and cheating to acknowledge the personal and relational ways AI is already shaping students\u2019 lives. And for parents, mentors and family members, the report underscores the importance of approaching young people with curiosity and without judgment\u2014suggesting that open, nonjudgmental conversation may be one of the most important interventions available.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere I see real opportunity is that there are a lot of adults who are experts in this area, who know a lot about this emerging technology and can help to build digital literacy programs for schools,\u201d Erickson-Schroth said. \u201cI do think it\u2019s really important that schools have digital literacy programs that include AI and how young people can navigate AI because we want to make sure that they feel like they\u2019re in the driver\u2019s seat and can make choices with all the information that they need.\u201d<\/p>\n

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