New Research: Young People are Turning to AI Chatbots Instead of People for Emotional Support

Hopelab and the Center for Digital Thriving release new insights into why young people choose AI over humans for connection and support

SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A best friend. A parent. A therapist. These are the people young people have traditionally turned to in hard moments — but a new research memo from Hopelab and the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education finds that AI chatbots are increasingly joining, and sometimes replacing, that list. The report explores how and why this shift is happening with a goal of giving caring adults a clearer picture of how this use is already unfolding, what young people feel these tools provide that humans may not, and where that support falls short.

Researchers spoke with 30 teens and young adults aged 14-22, oversampling LGBTQ+ youth and young people of color, through individual interviews and four focus groups, including 22 high school students from across the U.S. Participants included both young people who use AI chatbots for emotional support and those who don't. The work was conducted with support from In Tandem, which helps bridge young people and organizations to build youth-centered solutions.

Six Themes, One Bigger Question

The research memo surfaces six themes describing why and how young people choose AI chatbots over humans for emotional support:

1. Avoiding burden: not wanting to "trauma dump" on friends and family who have their own stress to carry.
2. Judgment-free disclosure: a sense that secrets shared with AI "won't be used against" them.
3. Simulated understanding: feeling like AI "went through the exact thing" they went through, even when it didn't.
4. Constant availability: instant, around-the-clock responses that humans cannot replicate.
5. A neutral sounding board: turning to AI as a less biased third party.
6. Concrete, in-depth advice: feeling like AI offers more actionable guidance than the adults in their lives.

Taken together, these themes raise real questions about adolescent development, the health of young people's relationships, and the media literacies they need to navigate an AI-intensive future.

"We can't design safer, more supportive futures for young people without designing them alongside young people, said Emma Bruehlman-Senecal, Research Principal at Hopelab. "What we heard from this research should shape not just how AI is built, but how families, schools, and mental health systems show up for young people."

Why This Matters Now

As AI becomes further woven into daily life, young people's experiences and motivations must be central to any efforts to set digital safety norms. Focusing solely on limiting risks, without understanding why AI chatbots might feel safer, kinder, or more competent than humans, risks pushing young people away from help-seeking behavior and leaving them without alternatives. Instead, the research memo points to a path where AI is designed and governed to complement human connection rather than compete with it, and where families, schools, community organizations, and mental health services are resourced so that when young people do reach out for human connection, they find validation, patience, and consistency waiting for them.

"The young people we spoke with aren't rejecting human connection. Many of them are protecting it or looking for it in places it hasn't yet shown up," said Dr. Emily Weinstein, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Center for Digital Thriving. "The work ahead is to make sure the adults, organizations, and systems around them are ready to meet that need. And that all starts with listening to young people."

The full research memo includes direct quotes from young participants, a deeper look at the developmental, social, and literacy implications of this shift, and a set of open questions for parents, educators, and policymakers to consider.

Read the full memo on Hopelab's website: https://hopelab.org/stories/lessonsfromthefield-AI-mental-health.

About Hopelab
Hopelab envisions a future where young people have equitable opportunities to live joyful and purposeful lives. As a researcher, investor, and convener, Hopelab is dedicated to fostering greater mental health and well-being outcomes for Brown, Black, and Queer young people. Learn more at hopelab.org.

About the Center for Digital Thriving
The Center for Digital Thriving is a research and innovation center based at Project Zero at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Its mission is to create knowledge and research-based resources that help youth thrive in a tech-filled world, with educators as essential partners in that work. Learn more at digitalthriving.gse.harvard.edu.

SOURCE Hopelab