Making the rounds on news sources (Fox etc), so I did some digging... Actual research says "20% of teens know someone in a relationship with AI. (below)

Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) 2025: ... "1 in 5 high schoolers (approximately 19-20%) say they or someone they know has had a romantic relationship with artificial intelligence. Additionally, 42% reported that they or someone they know have used AI for companionship more broadly."

OTOH, Common Sense Media found 72% of teens have used AI companions at least once, with 33% using them for social/romantic interactions. (2025). So that would be greater than 20% have had a "relationship" with AI.

You thought we had a fertility problem? Just wait.

One group to blame ... parents who won't control what their kids do on their screens. At this point, it is almost child abuse. Props to you parents out there doing the right thing, no matter how tough it is.

Thread Title is VERY MISLEADING

1 in 5 high schoolers (approximately 19-20%) say they or someone they know


When I was in high school, I for sure would have said in a poll that one of my buddies was in a relationship with AI as a joke.

Its what kids do!

In reality, it's probably closer to 5 percent. Weirdos that can't talk to real people and have zero possibility of actually dating

Im Gipper said:

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Thread Title is VERY MISLEADING

1 in 5 high schoolers (approximately 19-20%) say they or someone they know


When I was in high school, I for sure would have said in a poll that one of my buddies was in a relationship with AI as a joke.

Its what kids do!

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I'll completely disagree with you.

1) "claim" in Title.
2) dug to debunk the claim from the original source cited
3) then look around for other sources.

No disrespect intended, but what in the heck do you think was misleading???

Have you seen the women that are out there. AI seems like a logical choice right now.

Because it doesn't say 20% of teens are in a relationship with AI.

If 20 people out of 100 all know the same person dating ChatGPT, that does not mean 20% of people are in a romantic relationship with ChatGPT

If one kid in a 20k school is dating a computer every damn kid will know

I took my TRS-80 to the prom.

You can lay the blame at the feet of parents but, this is what happens when society builds a moral framework around consent, and enough people buy into a "you can't legislate morality" view of rights.

Most kids go to the public schools and are being raised by their peers to a large degree. Parents have to do a lot more to shield their children from this crap than they ever have in human history.

High schoolers never lie.

Well this isn't going to help. Chat bots don't pause anymore to think.

NVIDIA just dropped PersonaPlex-7B 🤯

A full-duplex voice model that listens and talks at the same time.
No pauses. No turn-taking. Real conversation.

100% open source. Free.
Voice AI just leveled up.https://t.co/YfzFQfBzMS pic.twitter.com/bVwJ5EFJFB

— Hugging Models (@HuggingModels) February 15, 2026

So like dating a real woman?

techno-ag said:

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Well this isn't going to help. Chat bots don't pause anymore to think.

NVIDIA just dropped PersonaPlex-7B 🤯

A full-duplex voice model that listens and talks at the same time.
No pauses. No turn-taking. Real conversation.

100% open source. Free.
Voice AI just leveled up.https://t.co/YfzFQfBzMS pic.twitter.com/bVwJ5EFJFB

— Hugging Models (@HuggingModels) February 15, 2026

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They did a great job with most of it, but the laugh is horrible!

Im Gipper said:

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Thread Title is VERY MISLEADING

1 in 5 high schoolers (approximately 19-20%) say they or someone they know


When I was in high school, I for sure would have said in a poll that one of my buddies was in a relationship with AI as a joke.

It's what kids do!

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This is the problem with old people like OP. They believe everything without actually questioning whether it even makes sense.

"AI is horrible so let me find a reason we have to get rid of it for the children!"

Tell me again why AI is good?

If we thought anime and gaming were damaging to young men, this is exponentially worse. Look at the number of advertisements during sporting events if people talking to their phone AI assistant. This is a problem.

One benefit of ai- I'm getting less interested in doom scrolling. Now many interesting videos I'm wondering if it's fake. If it's fake, I have zero interest in it.

in the 70's 51% of high schoolers were in a relationship with this

How is "anime and gaming" damaging to young men?

There is one girl in my daughter's class that would not surprise me one bit if she were in a "relationship" with a computer. She is quite odd.

Do STAFF count as AI? I know they say they are real people but ive never seem one. And i feel as though i have been in a relationship with them.

Im Gipper said:

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Thread Title is VERY MISLEADING

1 in 5 high schoolers (approximately 19-20%) say they or someone they know


When I was in high school, I for sure would have said in a poll that one of my buddies was in a relationship with AI as a joke.

Its what kids do!

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This.

Kids always attach themselves to whatever is the new thing. Before this, it was being trans, and before that it was being "fluid," and before that...

This sounds like the claim of high transgender numbers. In actuality the numbers are probably 5X lower than the media claims.

flown-the-coop said:

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Do STAFF count as AI? I know they say they are real people but ive never seem one. And i feel as though i have been in a relationship with them.

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I'm in an abusive relationship with STAFF.

Ex Machina is the movie for this

If you were a teen again, would you want this type of attitude or a computer program?

She will make a man very miserable one day pic.twitter.com/25xU8wKGID

— Brian Atlas (@BrianAtlas) February 16, 2026

Im Gipper said:

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Because it doesn't say 20% of teens are in a relationship with AI.

If 20 people out of 100 all know the same person dating ChatGPT, that does not mean 20% of people are in a romantic relationship with ChatGPT

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" so I did some digging... Actual research says "20% of teens know someone in a relationship with AI. (below)"

And how in the heck is that different from what I said? (above)

It is amazing to me the low reading ability on this forum. I think Rocky may have it correct, keep discussions at the level of memes.

Define relationship. As a horny teen in the early oughts I definitely would have sexted with a chatbot if they existed.

Over_ed said:

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Im Gipper said:

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Because it doesn't say 20% of teens are in a relationship with AI.

If 20 people out of 100 all know the same person dating ChatGPT, that does not mean 20% of people are in a romantic relationship with ChatGPT

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" so I did some digging... Actual research says "20% of teens know someone in a relationship with AI. (below)"

And how in the heck is that different from what I said? (above)

It is amazing to me the low reading ability on this forum. I think Rocky may have it correct, keep discussions at the level of memes.

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It's misleading at best. Saying "1 in 5 teens are or know someone who is" in a relationship with AI.

Taking n100, it's possible, probably probably, most likely likely that there may be 1 or 2 in a "relationship" and 18 or 19 who know those 1 or 2 AI hoes.

The technical aspect is buried for the headline splash. If those 1 or 2 were the most popular kids in school, then maybe it's 80% of those 100 surveyed know someone in an AI relationship.

A current college student days the business computer class he is taking tells him the (I) AI will take all of your entry level jobs and (ii) the top use of AI is companionship.

Im Gipper said:

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So like dating a real woman?

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How was this not POTD?