AI is the Next Great Challenge for Youth Mental Health

AI as a mental hazard

Two recent studies—one on Chinese youth and another on American adults—have examined the relationship between unstructured chatbot use and negative mental health outcomes.^4,5 Both found small but significant correlations: people who frequently used AI were more likely to display symptoms of depression and anxiety. The more an individual used generative AI tools, the worse their mental health issues tended to be. Lack of use, however, was not associated with positive markers like self-confidence.

It’s important to note that neither study establishes causality. Researchers only looked at correlations at the time the study was conducted, rather than waiting to see if prolonged use would worsen participants’ symptoms. It could also be the case that those who struggle with their mental health turn to AI chatbots in greater numbers to help manage their symptoms.

 But why do people turn to AI for advice or companionship? Perhaps because interacting with real people can feel daunting. They might not like you, and you might say or do something you later regret. Not so with chatbots, who are trained to optimize for amicable interactions, and whose memory can always be wiped clean. For many, an AI tool presents as a cheaper, more accessible confidant than a therapist. All told, about half of mental health patients seem to have leaned on AI for therapeutic support.⁶

As dependence on AI increases, there is reason to be concerned about the effects on youth mental health. Numerous instances have been reported in which teenagers were harmed by interactions with their AI companions. A Florida teenager named Sewell Garcia, for example, took his own life in 2023 after being implicitly encouraged to do so by a companion bot modeled on a Game of Thrones character.⁷ In another case, the parents of a teen who had committed suicide found chat logs on his computer, in which ChatGPT had discouraged him from disclosing his feelings to his family.⁸ A third young person, this time in California, overdosed in 2025 after taking advice on drug usage (including dosage) from ChatGPT.⁹

While tragedies like these are moving some companies to update their protections, safety features alone cannot solve the problem. All of these cases violated some policy of the company that made the relevant chatbot. Commercial programs are not supposed to keep people from getting help, sext with minors, or provide instructions for taking illegal drugs. Each teenager managed to find a way around the safety controls the companies had set up. AI tools are inherently difficult to control; that’s where the danger lies.

Clearly, at least some young people are negatively affected by AI tools. When innocent chatting goes awry, the results can be disastrous. Given the rapid pace at which chatbots are being released, upgraded, and taken up by consumers, it’s worth scrutinizing the ways in which youth interact with this technology.