US Teens Turn to AI Chatbots for Mental‑Health Advice

A recent study of U.S. adolescents and young adults found that roughly one in five (≈20%) have used AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini for mental‑health counseling, up from 13% in the prior survey. The online survey recruited 1,727 participants aged 12‑21, with 1,009 completing the questionnaire, representing more than 42 million U.S. youths. Over 40% of users said they accessed a chatbot at least once a month, and 5.8% reported daily or near‑daily use. 91.7% of respondents rated the advice as helpful, though most (63.3%) kept their use secret. Women and older teens were more likely to turn to AI, and usage was higher among those who had spoken with a medical professional about mental health in the past six months. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, highlights the growing role of conversational AI in a mental‑health landscape where the CDC reports that one‑third of U.S. high‑school students experienced mental‑health problems in the past month, with significant rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and attempts.