AI Companions & Teens: The Hidden Risks — with Common Sense Media’s Dr. Michael Robb

AI-enabled chatbots and AI companion apps are becoming a significant force in teens’ digital lives. Hundreds of these emotional AI platforms are designed to build instant intimacy—sometimes declaring love within minutes of a first conversation. For teenagers, this creates real risks, from emotional manipulation to blurred lines between human relationships and artificial intimacy.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Michael Robb, Head of Research at Common Sense Media and co-author of Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions. Dr. Robb shares new insights into why teens turn to AI companions, how these tools shape mental health and identity, and what parents, educators, and policymakers need to know to support safe and responsible AI use.

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