Nearly three-quarters of teens have used AI companions, and half use them regularly, new research finds. Moreover, one-third turn to chatbots for social interactions.

The study by Common Sense Media also found that nearly a third of teens are as satisfied, if not more, by conversing with AI rather than humans.

Nearly three in four American teenagers have used AI companions, with more than half qualifying as regular users despite growing safety concerns about these virtual relationships, according to a new survey released Wednesday.

One of the new “companions,” or AI characters for users to interact with, is a sexualized blonde anime bot called “Ani."

Musk wrote in an X post on Monday that AI companions are now available in the Grok app for "Super Grok" subscribers who pay $30 per month.

Teens admit that they prefer discussing important topics with AI companions more than people, according to a new study.

This marks a shift in the AI wars. Instead of just competing on intelligence or reasoning, Musk wants Grok to feel more personal, more addictive, and more human, or at least more fun. But the reactions online show that people are split. SuperGrok now has two new companions for you, say hello to Ani and Rudy! pic.twitter.com/SRrV6T0MGT