As more teens use AI chatbots, parents and lawmakers sound the alarm about dangers

By Rhitu Chatterjee

Published October 1, 2025 at 4:16 PM EDT

Nearly 1/3 of teens say they use chatbots for roleplaying romantic and sexual relationships. But some parents and digital safety experts warn that these apps can put teens at risk of suicide.

Rhitu Chatterjee

Rhitu Chatterjee is a health correspondent with NPR, with a focus on mental health. In addition to writing about the latest developments in psychology and psychiatry, she reports on the prevalence of different mental illnesses and new developments in treatments.

See stories by Rhitu Chatterjee

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