AI and Teenage Boys

 The hyper-personalised nature of AI chatbots is drawing in teenage boys, who use them for therapy, companionship and relationships, according to new research.

A survey of boys in secondary schools by the gender equity organisation Male Allies UK found that just over a third said they were considering the idea of an AI friend, amid growing concern about the rise of AI therapists and girlfriends.

Self-Portrait at the Age of 14
Alfred George Stevens (1817-1875)
Photo Credit: Tate [CC BY-NC-ND]

Lee Chambers, the founder and chief executive of  Male Allies UK, said: "We've got a situation where lots of parents still think that teenagers are just using AI to cheat on their homework.

"Young people are using it a lot more like an assistant in their pocket, a therapist when they are struggling, a companion when they want to be validated, and even sometimes in a romantic way. It's that personalisation aspect - they're saying 'it understands me, my parents don't.'

The research, based on a survey of boys in secondary education across 37 schools in England, Scotland and Wales, also found that more than half  (53%) said they thought the online world was more rewarding than the real world.

"Even when guardrails are meant to be in place, there's a mountain of evidence that chatbots routinely lie about being a licenced therapist or a real person, with only a small disclaimer at the bottom saying the AI chatbot is not real," the Voice of the Boys report said.

"This can be easily missed or forgotten about by children who are pouring their hearts out to what they view as a licensed professional or a real love interest," it added.

Some boys in the survey reported staying up until the early hours of the morning to talk to AI bots, and others said they had seen their friends' personalities completely change after they became sucked into the AI world.

"AI companions personalise themselves to the user based on their responses and the prompts. They respond instantly. Real humans can't always do that so it is very validating what it says because it wants to keep you connected and keep you using it." Chambers said.

The report also said:"AI companions can have a seriously negative effect on boys' ability to socialise, develop relational skills and learn to recognise and respect boundaries." 

(Jessica Murray, Robert Booth, The Guardian, 2025)

Some disturbing aspects of AI to consider here. Parents and teachers need to understand that AI can't always be viewed in a positive way and can effect unforeseen consequences that may harm the social and emotional development of some teenagers.