"A core developmental task of adolescence is to explore the question, "Where do I belong?" Finding "your people" is central to that journey. This is why peers and peer friendships play such a critical role in the emotional lives of adolescents. Our early social experiences teach us something essential about being human. They help us learn to tolerate discomfort, navigate complexity, and grow through feedback and accountability. The teenage brain is built to learn from these social experiences."
"Given the social turbulence of adolescence, it's no surprise that teens might turn to AI to sort through their experiences. The draw of private, affirming, and nonjudgmental spaces makes sense. The data backs this up. For example, 71 percent of young people have interacted with an AI companion. They are using AI systems for connection, role-playing, relational advice, and more. Most young people are likely experimenting with these tools and moving on or using them in ways that complement their peer friendships."
Adolescence requires exploring belonging, and peer relationships are central to emotional development and learning social skills like tolerating discomfort, navigating complexity, and growing through feedback. Typical social friction can offer important opportunities for skill-building, while harmful interactions still demand prevention efforts such as bullying prevention, consent education, conflict resolution, and school connectedness. Teens are drawn to AI because it can feel private, affirming, and nonjudgmental, with 71 percent having used AI companions for connection, role-playing, and relational advice. Many AI tools are designed to maximize attention rather than support healthy developmental growth, so open conversations about AI design and engagement are essential.
Read at Psychology Today
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