No one saw the trouble coming when Furby, the first AI-driven toy, was released in 1998
Nearly one in five teens ask AI chatbots for mental health advice, and most never mention it to a parent, friend, or doctor
STUDY: McBain RK et al, JAMA Pediatrics 2026
STUDY TYPE: Cross-sectional survey study
FUNDING: National Institute of Mental Health
Background
AI chatbots have spread fastest among teenagers, arriving amid a youth mental health crisis, with suicide the second leading cause of death among those 5 to 24.
The Study
A nationally representative survey of 1,009 US youth aged 12 to 21 (population-weighted to 42.8 million), fielded in November 2025 through RAND’s American Life Panel. Assessed chatbot use for mental health advice, frequency, helpfulness, and disclosure, plus recent physician contact, compared with a similar 2024 survey.
Results
Nearly 1 in 5 teens asked an AI chatbot for mental health advice, up from 13.1% a year earlier. Of these, 42.8% used it monthly or more, and 91.7% rated the advice helpful. Nearly two-thirds (63.3%) told no one, not a parent, friend, or clinician.
Here’s who used it more:
- Girls (2-fold higher)
- Young adults 18-21 (3.7-fold)
- Teens with mental health problems (2-fold)
Black youth who used chatbots were over 5 times more likely than white youth to do so monthly or more (aOR 5.45).
Practice Implications
- Ask teens about AI use and what it’s telling them.
—Chris Aiken, MD
Director, Psych Partners
Editor in Chief, Carlat Psychiatry Report
