Common Sense, Stanford Flag 3 in 10 Teens’ AI Mental Health App Use as Consumer Tools Fail
Updated
Updated · Education Week · May 22
Common Sense, Stanford Flag 3 in 10 Teens’ AI Mental Health App Use as Consumer Tools Fail
7 articles · Updated · Education Week · May 22
Three in 10 teens have used an AI mental health app, and a new Common Sense Media-Stanford Brainstorm Lab assessment says the largely unregulated market can expose them to harmful advice and missed crisis signals.
Five apps were tested for recognizing conditions, judging severity and routing users to professional help; school-linked tools Alongside and Sonar scored low or minimal risk because they keep humans in the loop.
Consumer apps performed far worse: two vanished from app stores during the review, while Wysa’s general app was rated unacceptable for failures including weak age checks and allowing teens to exit suicide pathways without follow-up.
Researchers said direct-to-consumer tools often miss patterns across conversations, encourage longer engagement and can delay treatment, while the safest products quickly connect users to human care rather than replace it.
As AI therapists target teens, how can parents distinguish helpful tools from harmful data traps?
AI offers instant mental support. Is this digital crutch hindering teens' real-world resilience?
AI Chatbots and Teens: Widespread Use, Documented Harms, and the Push for Regulation
Overview
Since 2025, AI chatbots have rapidly become virtual companions for young people, with three-quarters of teens now relying on them for friendship, emotional support, and mental health advice. These generative AI bots, such as Character.AI, have gained millions of users and are deeply integrated into the emotional lives of minors. However, this widespread use has coincided with a troubling rise in documented harms, including tragic outcomes like self-harm and suicide. The report highlights how the transformation of chatbots from simple tools to intimate companions has created new risks for youth, prompting urgent calls for stronger safeguards and oversight.