The $30 million toe in the water

A new study has found that nearly 1 in 5 US teens and young adults are using AI chatbots for mental health advice, with most users not disclosing their use to anyone.. The study suggests that AI chatbots have become a common source of mental health advice for adolescents and young adults.

The study, led by researchers from RAND, Harvard Medical School, MIT Media Lab, and several other institutions, surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,009 adolescents and young adults in November 2025.

Why 4,000 unsold units became the prize

Nearly 1 in 5 US teens and young adults have sought mental health advice from AI chatbots, study finds. A new study published in found that 19.2% of Americans ages 12 to 21, representing an estimated 8.2 million people nationwide, reported using AI chatbots for mental health advice in 2025.

Among those users, nearly two-thirds said they had not disclosed their chatbot use to anyone. The study suggests AI chatbots have become a common source of mental health advice for adolescents and young adults.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

The study found chatbot use for mental health advice has grown since a similar survey conducted by the research team in 2024. Researchers noted that 13 .1% of adolescents and young adults reported using generative AI for mental health advice in the earlier survey, compared with 19.2% in the current study.

The study found chatbot use for mental health advice had increased by nearly half in a single year.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

Researchers also noted that the share of young people using AI chatbots for mental health advice was similar in magnitude to the 19.8% of adolescents receiving counseling from a mental health professional, though the study emphasized the two measures are not directly comparable.

Among those who reported using AI chatbots for mental health advice, researchers found that 42.8% sought that advice at least monthly. That included 26.3% who used chatbots at least once a month, 10.8% who used them at least weekly and 5.8% who used them daily or almost daily.

Tehran's two-track response

Researchers said the frequency of use may indicate that AI chatbots are filling a gap in psychological or emotional support for some young people .

The study found that 91.7% of users rated chatbot advice as either somewhat helpful or very helpful. Just 8.3% said the advice was not helpful.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

Researchers cautioned, however,that perceived helpfulness does not necessarily mean the advice was clinically appropriate. The study also noted concerns among clinical experts that some users with significant mental health needs could rely on chatbot guidance in place of care from trained professionals.

The study found that 63.3% of adolescents and young adults who used AI chatbots for mental health advice said they had not told anyone. Among users,28% said they had told a friend about their chatbot use, while 16.4% said they had told a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher or physician.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

The authors said the lack of disclosure could limit opportunities for parents , clinicians and educators to provide guidance about the strengths and limitations of AI-generated advice.

Without disclosure by young people on the role of AI in providing mental health advice, clinicians may also be unaware of potentially influential or inaccurate advice provided by these tools to their patients.

The Senate's three-vote margin

Researchers found several demographic differences among users. Females were more than twice as likely as males to report using AI chatbots for mental health advice, according to the study's adjusted analysis.

Older adolescents and young adults were also more likely to use the technology. Participants ages 18 to 21 were significantly more likely to report chatbot use than those ages 12 to 14.