Around 1 in 5 young people use AI chatbots for mental health advice, survey finds

Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents and young adults are turning to AI chatbots for advice when they’re sad, angry, nervous or stressed, according to a new study.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The findings, from the research institute RAND, represent an increase from early 2025, when the nonprofit conducted a similar survey.

At the time, around 13% of respondents said they used chatbots for such advice, but the share rose to 19% in the group’s latest survey in November, the results of which were published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.“It’s a sad number, because you’d hope that young people would have the sorts of supportive relationships that they would feel comfortable and empowered reaching out to those around them,” said Ryan McBain, a senior policy researcher at RAND and the lead author of the study.For the new survey, McBain and his team asked people ages 12 to 21 whether they had used a service like ChatGPT, GoogleGemini or Character.AI for mental health advice.

The survey questions did not differentiate between chatbots specifically designed to offer therapy and those with many uses.The researchers also asked whether the young people surveyed found the chatbot’s advice helpful, which the vast majority said they did.Around 63% of respondents said they had not told anyone about their use of artificial intelligence for therapy.The share of young people using AI chatbots for mental health advice is close to the percentage of adolescents who report receiving mental health therapy from a professional.

Some people may use both tools, the researchers said, but they suspect that many are using AI chatbots as fill-ins due to a shortage of licensed mental health professionals or a lack of access to one.Other young people may use AI in these situations because they are already accustomed to using it for other purposes.But outside experts worry about young people turning to chatbots d...