A new RAND study found that 19.2% of U.S. adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 21 reported using AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Character.AI, and Meta AI for advice or help when feeling sad, angry, nervous, or stressed. This is up from 13.1% reported in a similar RAND survey conducted one year earlier and is comparable to the 19.8% who reported receiving counseling from a mental health professional.
Researchers estimate that the findings represent approximately 8.2 million young people nationwide. Among those who reported using AI chatbots for mental health advice, 63% said they had not disclosed that use to anyone. In addition, 43% said they sought mental health advice from AI chatbots at least once a month. While 92% described the advice as somewhat or very helpful, researchers cautioned that this may reflect chatbots' tendency to flatter users rather than the quality of the guidance provided.
The study also found that AI chatbot use for mental health advice was more common among females than males, more common among young adults ages 18 to 21 than adolescents ages 12 to 17, and more common among youth who had spoken with a physician about their mental health during the previous six months. Researchers say the findings underscore the importance of parents, clinicians, and other trusted adults asking young people whether they are using AI tools and helping them understand both their potential benefits and limitations.
This study provides additional evidence that AI is becoming part of how many young people seek support for emotional and mental health concerns. Nearly one in five respondents reported using AI for mental health advice, and most said they had not told anyone they were doing so.
For therapy practices, this reinforces the importance of asking clients whether they are using AI between sessions. If clients are already turning to AI on their own, clinicians benefit from understanding how those tools fit into the client's overall care. Therapy AllyTM was built around this model by giving therapists a way to intentionally incorporate AI into treatment, with clinician guidance and oversight, rather than leaving clients to navigate AI support independently.