19% of high schoolers in USA had romantic relationships with chatbots

Researchers in the USA found something interesting in a new report on AI’s impact on school life. Turns out a whole 19% of high schoolers have already had romantic relationships with a chatbot or know someone who has. Think about that number.

Regarding learning, also interesting numbers. AI is rapidly becoming the norm. 85% of teachers and 86% of students already use it. Moreover more often for personal purposes than for studying. And almost 46% of schools officially allow use of AI-based tools.

Teenagers actively interact with chatbots. 56% do this weekly, and 31% use school accounts and devices for this. But there’s a nuance. In classes where AI is used more often, students feel less connection with teachers and more often turn to various chatbots for help.

And then the saddest part begins. Data leaks happen in 23% of schools. Monitoring systems track students even outside school and on personal devices, but trust in them is low. Only 21% of educational institutions have protocols for cases of deepfakes or leaks of intimate images.

A paradoxical picture emerges. Teenagers actively enter romantic relationships with chatbots, while losing connection with real teachers. Schools allow AI use but aren’t ready to protect students from its risks. Monitoring systems track children everywhere, but there are almost no security protocols. Technology bursts into school life faster than we can understand the consequences. And 19% of teenagers already live in a reality where romantic relationships with an algorithm are a normal part of life.