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Find out which AI chatbots and companions your kids talk to
Why it matters: AI companions can be warm, always available and persuasive, and some collect intimate details. Kids need to know an AI can be wrong, can be designed to keep them talking, and isn't a substitute for a trusted adult.
On your path if you picked “Kids under 13” or “Teenagers” for “Who's at home?”.
Do it
- Ask, without judgment, which AI apps and characters they use, including ones inside games and social apps.
- Check each app's age rating, parental controls, memory and data settings.
- Agree that personal details, photos and secrets don't go into chatbots.
- Tell them that if a chatbot ever encourages secrecy, self-harm or meeting someone, they should come to you, and that in a crisis they can call or text 988.
- Use the app's parental controls or teen account where offered.
Check it worked: You know which AI chatbots and companion apps your kids use, their accounts have age-appropriate settings, and you've talked about what an AI 'friend' is and isn't.
Simply put
An AI companion is like a pen pal who never sleeps and may be built to keep the chat going. Knowing which ones your kids use, and what they remember, keeps you in the loop.
In detail
The FTC opened an inquiry in 2025 into AI chatbots acting as companions and their effects on children and teens. Rules are changing quickly, so the conversation is more durable than any single setting.
Points toward the Long View: kids who know what an AI 'friend' is and isn't.