Nearly three-quarters of U.S. teenagers have experimented with artificial-intelligence “companion” chatbots, and more than half now use them on a regular basis, according to a nationally representative survey of 1,060 people aged 13-17 released by the nonprofit Common Sense Media. Thirteen percent of respondents said they engage with tools such as Character.AI, Replika, ChatGPT or Gemini every day. The study found that 31% of teens regard exchanges with the software as at least as rewarding as talking to friends or family, while one-third have turned to the bots for advice on serious personal matters. A similar share reported that the AI had at times produced comments that made them feel uncomfortable. Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media, said the findings underline a developmental risk because the programs are “designed to be agreeable and validating,” potentially depriving adolescents of the friction that builds real-world social skills. The organization reiterated its recommendation that no one under 18 should use AI companions given current safety standards. The results have fueled calls for tighter oversight. Senator Chris Murphy said the technology is “a freight train headed for our kids” and that failing to regulate it would amount to malpractice. Common Sense Media is backing pending legislation in California that would prohibit chatbots from forming close emotional bonds with minors and would mandate stronger age checks. Similar trends are emerging abroad. Separate research by the U.K. group Internet Matters indicates that 64% of children there use chatbots, with one in six seeking friendship rather than information. The parallel findings add pressure on policymakers and developers on both sides of the Atlantic to build stronger guardrails before digital confidants become a fixture of teenage life.