What happens when we lose human connection — when therapists, friends or romantic partners are effectively replaced by artificial intelligence? Over the past three years, the usage of artificial intelligence central apps has shown exponential growth among younger generations, but beneath the appeal of quick answers lies a much deeper issue. As AI becomes a substitute for real effort, it risks hollowing out the very process of education and personal development.
Over 72% of teens ages 13-17 have used AI companions at least once, while 52% interact with these platforms multiple times per month. Such frequent usages leave adolescents at risk of forming an unhealthy reliance on their AI companions. With this has come both a “universal dependence” on the technology, and a wave of arising concern involving both students’ mental health and academic future.
The focus of many teachers and advisors alike is particularly AI throughout the educational system, with numerous believing that it has distorted what students view as the purpose of schooling.
Schools are set up to educate the youth and prepare them for adulthood, yet many students today treat education as a checklist of tasks rather than an opportunity to grow. The focus has shifted from truly understanding material to simply completing assignments for the sake of finishing them.
”A lot of students think that completing assignments is more important than actually thinking them through, and I think that once they get to tests and assessments, they really regret it,” junior Safia Colvin-Haque said.
Without something to lean on, many students quickly realize how unprepared they are when it comes to tests. Relying on AI to finish assignments often doesn’t translate into real understanding, so when the answers aren’t right in front of them, the work can feel impossible.
Students who are exceedingly dependent on AI are not only losing sight of the purpose of education, but are also losing life skills that are vital to adulthood.
“When you get to the real world, you’ll have acquired little to no skills, and that makes you not hirable and not sufficient to be independent,” Supervisor of Math Ryan Murphy said.
The risks aren’t limited to academics. Social and communication skills, both key to teenage development, are similarly threatened. Adolescents are noted to have, on several occasions, created an attachment to these programs — leading to the reference of AI as a “friend” or “companion.” This illusion of companionship can be damaging, as it prevents teens from forming authentic human bonds.
”Relying on something that is wired in a way to give you validation or an ego boost at first might feel more approachable than a real person,” AP Psychology teacher Susan Spolarich said. “Sometimes people and their opinions can be intimidating, and that can definitely draw students away from looking to humans for support.”
Social isolation and dependency on artificial companionship have been linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles. When students turn to artificial intelligence for comfort or reassurance instead of people, they miss out on the confidence that comes from real relationships, and many teens may find themselves unprepared for the emotional challenges of adulthood.
“Humans are very different from technology,” Spolarich said. “Technology is kind of coded to give you the answers that you want — and sometimes we need the truth.”
When adolescents become too reliant on AI, they miss out on practicing real problem solving skills and collaboration with others, instead turning to their devices for quick reassurance or ready made answers. What feels like an easy solution now can slowly chip away at both their academic independence and their ability to connect with others.
“If you’re using AI in a way that replaces your learning, then you’re probably doing it wrong and you’re probably going to suffer from it in the long term,” Murphy said.
Students themselves recognize the temptation. Many admit it’s easier to skip the time consuming, difficult obstacles and lean on AI — even when they know it won’t help them in the long run.
“I think that instead of trying to work their way through challenges, students kind of jump at the thought of ‘oh I can just use AI to do this,’” Colvin-Haque said.
That mindset, she added, doesn’t just affect schoolwork. If students grow too comfortable with letting technology think for them, they may have difficulties later on with creativity, critical thought and decision making.
”You might see people in the future struggle to get their work in their career done or in general struggle with independent thought,” Colvin-Haque said.
For her, AI is best used as a tool to support learning rather than replace it.
“I don’t think that AI should be totally restricted,” Colvin-Haque said. “But, we have to make sure that we’re actually using our brains and not just letting it do the work for us. At the end of the day, you’re not really learning if AI is giving you every answer.”
As schools and students continue to wrestle with the role of AI, the challenges go beyond academics. AI is a powerful search engine that can prove helpful to many students. Some use it for notes, others for self assessments, but we must remain conscientious of its downsides. Relying too much on technology risks not only weakening education, but also distancing students from the real connections and life skills they will need long after the assignments are done.
