Teens are talking to AI companions, whether it's safe or not

For parents still catching up on generative artificial intelligence, the rise of the companion chatbot may still be a mystery. In broad strokes, the technology can seem relatively harmless, compared to other threats teens can encounter online, including financial sextortion. Using AI-powered platforms like Character.AI, Replika, Kindroid, and Nomi, teens create lifelike conversation partners with unique traits and characteristics, or engage with companions created by other users. Some are even b