Nearly 1 in 5 young people in America turn to AI chatbots for mental health advice — and most aren’t telling anyone.
A new nationwide study finds 19.2 percent of adolescents ages 12 to 21 have used AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Character. AI or Meta AI for help when feeling sad, angry, nervous, or stressed. A RAND survey just one year ago put the figure at 13.1 percent.
Two-thirds of young people (63 percent) who use AI chatbots for mental health advice say they haven’t told anyone they’re doing it, the new study found. And nearly 43 percent say they seek that advice at least monthly.
Researchers estimate that’s about 8.2 million young people nationwide.
The rate is now nearly the same as the percentage who report receiving counseling from a mental health professional.
“The speed of growth is attention-grabbing, but so is the fact that most young people who use these tools for mental health advice say they are not telling anyone,” said lead author Ryan McBain, a senior policy researcher at RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization.
Furthermore, 92 percent of survey participants said the AI advice they received was somewhat or very helpful.
But researchers warn this may reflect a chatbot’s tendency to flatter users rather than the actual quality of its guidance.
“Many young people appear to be using AI chatbots for mental health advice privately, without the knowledge of parents, clinicians, or other adults,” said study co-author Jonathan Cantor, a RAND senior policy researcher. “That makes it especially important for adults to start conversations about how AI tools are being used and the role they should and should not play.”
The study is based on a nationally representative survey of 1,009 teens and young adults conducted in November 2025.
Findings were published June 1 in JAMA Pediatrics.
The researchers found that Black youth were more likely to use AI chatbots for mental health advice at least monthly compared to their white peers. Studies consistently show that Black adolescents often face barriers to quality mental healthcare, including providers, cost concerns, transportation issues, and stigma. In addition, Black youth are less likely to receive mental health treatment despite experiencing significant mental health needs.
AI chatbots may appear attractive to some Black adolescents because they are free to use, anonymous, and available 24/7. While AI tools cannot entirely replace licensed mental health professionals, their accessibility may make them particularly appealing to young people who face barriers to traditional care.
Although AI is constantly evolving, many systems cannot fully understand the cultural experiences of all users, such as racism-related stress, discrimination, or community-specific mental health concerns. With that in mind, Black youth may receive generic responses that fail to address important social and cultural factors affecting mental health. Clinicians should recognize that patients may arrive with information or advice obtained from AI platforms and be prepared to explain why such guidance can be misleading or inaccurate.
Here are some questions providers can ask Black youth during appointments regarding their mental health:
Without cultural context, AI-generated guidance may overlook experiences that shape mental health outcomes in Black communities.
As AI becomes increasingly implemented into daily life, clinicians may encounter more patients who use chatbots for mental health guidance. For Black youth, who are already facing barriers to care, these tools may offer accessibility and anonymity, but they cannot replace culturally responsive, evidence-based mental health treatment. Understanding how patients use AI may help providers better support their mental health needs.
More information
The National Academy of Medicine has more on AI chatbots and mental health.
SOURCE: HealthDay TV, June 4, 2026
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