Harms of seeking AI companions

AI companions offer something very different to real peers, friends and romantic partners.

Teenagers are increasingly turning to AI companions for friendship, support and even romance. But these apps could be changing how young people connect to others, both online and off. New research by Common Sense Media, a US-based non-profit organisation that reviews various media and technologies, has found about three in four US teens have used AI companion apps such as Character.ai or Replika.ai.