Third of children who use AI chatbots consider tech to be a ‘friend’
Some 81% of children aged between 11 and 16 say they use the technology, the poll for Vodafone found.
Almost a third of children who use AI chatbots say they would describe the technology as like one of their friends, a survey suggests.
AI chatbots are becoming part of daily life for young people, with 81% of children aged between 11 and 16 saying they use the technology, the poll for Vodafone found.
Some 31% who have used an AI chatbot agreed they would describe it as like a friend, turning to it for advice on difficult situations (24%) and to help with worries and anxieties (20%).
The survey found those engaging with conversational chatbots spent an average of 42 minutes a day chatting with them.
One in three (33%) said they had shared information they would not tell their parents, teachers or friends, and 86% said they had acted on the advice they were given by a chatbot.
The study, which analysed the experiences of 2,000 children and their parents, found that the technology’s consistently friendly tone was cited by 37% of those polled as a major reason for engaging with it.
For almost one in five (17%), speaking to technology felt safer than speaking to a person, with 14% preferring to seek advice from an AI chatbot, ahead of a friend (10%) or teacher (3%).
Vodafone is launching a Breakfast Club campaign using a limited-edition cereal box which borrows the language and layout of food labelling to list what makes up an AI chatbot but also what it does not include, such as “empathy” and “accountability”.
Child psychologist Dr Elly Hanson said: “It is uncanny how effective AI chatbots can be at mimicking human empathy, personality and connection.
“As Vodafone’s research shows, this is leading many children and young people to feel like chatbots are their friends and is interfering with their social development.
“They need real relationships involving give-and-take, shared experience, diverse perspectives, and actual feelings, not pseudo-relationships designed to keep them hooked for as long as possible.
“Education designed to help young people critically analyse this anthropomorphic technology is urgently needed, alongside regulation that protects against its particular risks.”
Nicki Lyons, chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer at VodafoneThree, said: “Knowing how to talk to your child about AI chatbots and online safety isn’t always straightforward.
“In our new campaign, we’ve used the language of food labelling to help parents and kids understand them.
“Our Breakfast Club resources help highlight what AI chatbots are made of, when – if used properly – they can be a force for good, and the risks when they are used as a substitute for connection, friendship or support.”
Barry Laker, head of the Childline service at the NSPCC, said: “AI is becoming a regular part of children’s online experiences. When used safely and responsibly, it can offer opportunities, but it also brings risks, especially if children aren’t sure what’s real, or how AI works.
“It’s particularly concerning that a third of children are confiding in AI chatbots with concerns they wouldn’t share with parents, teachers or friends. That’s why open conversations with your child about AI chatbot use is so important, setting clear boundaries to help them stay safe and informed.
“Initiatives, like Vodafone’s Breakfast Club campaign, play a vital role in helping parents and carers with these conversations and supporting families to navigate these challenges together.
“Childline is here 24/7 to listen without judgment; our counsellors are real people who care about young people’s wellbeing. We’d encourage any child or young person who needs to talk to contact us on 0800 1111 or visit childline.org.uk.”
Vodafone has partnered with First News and the NSPCC to create free resources that help build children’s understanding of chatbots, support media literacy and promote healthy digital wellbeing.
They includes a family pack, lesson plans, assembly materials and expert tips for conversations on AI chatbot use.
Censuswide surveyed 1,000 parents with children aged 11 to 16 and 1,000 children aged 11 to 16 between October 30 and February 2.
