TUCSON — Researchers from Arizona State University published findings in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health concerning adolescent use of artificial intelligence. The study focused on the potential impact of AI on relational development among teenagers.

Thao Ha, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University and the lead author of the study, said, "The technologies are developing super-fast, faster than we can keep up with as scientists, faster than governance and policy can keep up with." Ha stated that adolescence is a crucial period for learning skills such as emotional regulation, conflict resolution, perspective-taking and boundary-setting. She added, "People don't realize that relational learning happens during the teenage years and that these moments of social connection are little building blocks that become bigger things that will benefit you throughout life." She also said, "You really need those building blocks, so you actually learn the skills that you need to thrive in your relationships."

The authors defined "relational displacement" as occurring when adolescents substitute AI interactions for conversations with other people. They also described "maladaptive relational learning" as adolescents developing unrealistic expectations about human relationships due to AI interactions.

Susana Ortega, a high school senior and youth advisory board member who contributed to the study, shared her observation of other teens. She said, "I don't think I really expected for so many teens to have the same concerns or thoughts when it came to AI." Ortega said, "We all mostly had concerns about how AI was replacing actual human connection and how it limits a lot of those needs that humans have that cannot be replaced with a computer artificial intelligence." She also said, "With artificial intelligence, it's programmed to like you and it knows what to say to satisfy what you're feeding it." Ortega added, "If you're given full satisfaction on everything, you don't have learning experience with challenges or obstacles." Other co-authors of the study included psychology doctoral student Jennifer Figueroa.

A Pew Research Center study found that 64% of U.S. adolescents use interactional AI. Research from the Center for Democracy & Technology found that 42% of adolescents have used AI chatbots for friendship-related purposes, and 19% have used them for romantic relationships. Teenagers interviewed by ASU researchers stated that current approaches to regulating AI, such as age verification, are ineffective and do not reflect their needs. One teen stated to researchers that "there is almost no way not to use it anymore."