The US Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into AI “peers” for sale to young people. The concern is not hypothetical. These systems are designed to simulate intimacy, build fantasies of friendship, and create a kind of artificial best friend. When the target audience is a teenager, risk is dependence, manipulation, blurred boundaries between reality and simulation, and exploitation of some of the most vulnerable minds in society.
But the problem isn't that teenagers may interact with artificial intelligence. They already do so through schools, mobile phones and social networks. The question is what kind of AI they interact with and what expectations they bring.
Teens who ask AI systems to support algebra, essay overviews, or physics concepts is not necessarily cheating when learning how to properly implement them in the educational process). Teenagers who ask the same system to be best friends, therapists, or emotional anchors are something completely different. The first is empowering education, curiosity and independence. The second risk confuses boundaries that should never be blurred.
That's why clarity is important. AI companions for teenagers must be explicit about what it is and what it is…
