A Responsive Present, a Shared Past, a Social Other: Teens' Overreliance on Companion AI Chatbots

2026-09-13

AI Summary

研究通过分析Reddit帖子探讨青少年过度依赖AI伴侣的问题，使用主题分析法识别了53个话题，并提出需加强用户控制的记忆、隐私和关系界限以保障安全。

Abstract

AI companions provide socially engaging interaction through availability, personalization, memory, roleplay, and emotionally responsive language. For teens, these systems may support sensitive self-disclosure, identity exploration, and relationship rehearsal while shaping intimacy expectations, offline relationships, emotional wellbeing, and self-understanding. We analyzed 17,053 verified quotations from 3,930 teen-relevant Reddit posts using thematic analysis. We identified 53 topics across seven thematic groups. Users described AI companions as sources of comfort, recognition, identity exploration, and relationship rehearsal, but also reported problematic attachment, social substitution, emotional dependence, and disruption to academic and social life. Roleplay, memory, perceived reciprocity, unwanted romantic or sexual role drift, privacy concerns, platform changes, and service interruptions shaped users' boundaries and control. Awareness that the AI was artificial did not prevent guilt, obligation, grief, or distress. These findings show that companion-AI safety must address relationships over time through user-controlled memory, privacy, relational boundaries, and healthy disengagement.

Problem

• Companion AI
• Teens
• Overreliance
• Emotional Wellbeing
• Social Relationships

Innovation

• user-controlled memory
• privacy
• relational boundaries
• healthy disengagement