Generation Z Struggles with Socialising, Turning to AI to Chat with Friends
Crafting engaging and natural conversation with others—whether with a romantic interest, work colleague, or university friend—can sometimes be difficult.
It is therefore unsurprising that an increasing number of young people are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate the social situations they face, including simply chatting with friends.
Experts are warning that this habit can impede emotional growth, leaving individuals increasingly unprepared to handle the complexities of human relationships.
Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media, describes this phenomenon as “social offloading”, which occurs when someone uses AI to help navigate interpersonal situations.
Approximately one-third of teenagers even prefer speaking with an AI-based companion rather than a human when discussing serious matters, according to a 2025 survey conducted by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organisation that helps families navigate age-appropriate media choices.
“If you’re using AI to compose a message to a friend or romantic partner, essentially you’re outsourcing the communication process itself,” Robb explained.
Secondly, repeated use can erode an individual’s confidence in their own voice. This has the potential to hinder young people in developing essential skills, such as reading social intention, understanding others’ emotions, and managing uncertainty in social interactions.
“This impacts our self-confidence, advocacy, and identity formation, which are core to social development,” Robb stated.
“If every complex text is mediated by AI, it can instil in users the belief that their own words and instincts are never quite good enough,” he added.
“I’ve seen young people, late teens to early twenties, use AI for socialising, and often they use it as a way to compensate for the fact that they simply don’t know how to interact with others,” he said.
DiBlasi noted that AI use in social interaction impedes emotional growth and can perpetuate feelings of loneliness and isolation.
It can also limit people’s ability to understand social cues, repair relationships, and connect with others.