90% of U.S. students report using AI chatbots, new surveys show

A new pair of national surveys indicates that artificial intelligence chatbots have become a standard tool for American youth, with nearly two-thirds of tweens and teens using the technology regularly. The research highlights a rapid shift in how young people interact with digital assistants for both academic and personal reasons.

The JED Foundation, a mental health advocacy group, surveyed 5,500 students aged 9 to 17 in schools across the country. The results show that 90% of these students have used an AI chatbot. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents reported using the tools for schoolwork, as well as for companionship or when feeling stressed, lonely, anxious, or overwhelmed.

A second survey conducted by Common Sense Media, an online safety advocacy group, found that AI usage begins at a younger age than previously assumed. Nearly half of children aged 9 to 12 have used an AI chatbot or companion. This usage occurs years before many children reach the minimum age of 13 required by most popular platforms. By the time students reach age 13, the Common Sense Media data shows that nearly three-quarters have used chatbots.

Anne Maheux, a developmental psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in either survey, described the pace of adoption as remarkable. She noted that just a few years ago, few students were using the technology. Maheux observed that the number of kids using AI for homework is now roughly equal to the number using it for emotional support and coping.

Students in Round Rock, Texas, and Raynham, Massachusetts, described specific routines involving these tools. Arjun Sharda, 15, uses OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini to practice sample test questions and understand concepts outside the classroom. He said he prefers Gemini lately. He and his friends also turn to chatbots during periods of stress. Sharda recalled asking ChatGPT if he would pass a chemistry test because he was afraid of failing.

McKenzie Craig, 17, has used chatbots since eighth grade. She uses the technology to prioritize tasks when she feels overwhelmed. Craig also runs essays through Grammarly or ChatGPT to receive feedback, which she then uses to edit her work. This pattern of using AI for both academic review and task management is common among the survey respondents.

Researchers at the JED Foundation analyzed how AI use correlates with indicators of well-being, including history of suicidal ideation and attempts. Kayla Anderson, vice president of research and evaluation at the JED Foundation, stated that young people using AI while in emotional distress are more likely to report poor mental health outcomes. They also reported a greater history of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared to those not in distress when using the tools.

Anderson cautioned that the data do not prove a causal link. It remains unclear whether AI use contributes to poor mental health or if students who are already in distress are more likely to turn to AI. Maheux added that preliminary data from other researchers suggests the link may work in both directions. Students with worse mental health may seek out AI, but that use may exacerbate their challenges instead of helping.

Maheux and her colleagues at UNC are preparing a study of middle schoolers in one state. Their preliminary findings indicate that students who use chatbots for companionship grew lonelier over time. They found similar results in a study of young adults, where those who relied heavily on AI to solve emotional or cognitive problems developed worse mental health over time. Maheux suggested that AI may ease immediate distress but prevent young people from developing skills to tolerate normal daily stresses.

The JED Foundation survey included students from diverse school settings across the nation. The Common Sense Media survey focused on online safety patterns among younger children. Both organizations released their findings in October 2026. The data represents a snapshot of current usage habits among the 9 to 17 age group.