Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The rapid development of generative conversational artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, is transforming social interactions and emotional experiences among adolescents. These systems, available at all times and simulating empathy, offer a constant source of attention and validation that may lead to emotional attachment and compulsive use. This paper provides an overview of adolescent addiction to conversational AI, highlighting theoretical frameworks, prevalence, risk factors, psychological mechanisms, and clinical implications. Behavioral addiction models, initially applied to substance-free disorders such as gaming or social media addiction, provide a conceptual basis for understanding excessive chatbot use characterized by loss of control, preoccupation, and continued engagement despite negative outcomes. Although specific epidemiological data are not yet available, parallels can be drawn from research on problematic screen use, which affects up to 25% of adolescents worldwide. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to neurobiological immaturity, heightened emotional sensitivity, and psychosocial pressures related to identity development, peer comparison, and self-esteem. Studies suggest that excessive engagement with AI can produce emotional disturbances (anxiety, depression, loneliness), cognitive impairments (attention and executive dysfunction), and social withdrawal, reducing opportunities for real-life interaction. A recent collaboration between OpenAI and the MIT Media Lab has revealed patterns of dependency among “power users,” including withdrawal symptoms and loss of control, indicating that emotional dependence on AI is a genuine emerging issue. Effective interventions should combine cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, family psychoeducation, and digital self-regulation strategies. In conclusion, adolescent addiction to conversational AI represents a new behavioral health challenge that demands increased awareness
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416396264