Survey: 1-in-5 U.S. High Schoolers Report AI Romance
A new national survey from the Center for Democracy and Technology (released Oct. 2025) finds that nearly 1 in 5 U.S. high‑school students say they or someone they know has had a romantic relationship with artificial intelligence, and 42% say they or someone they know used AI for companionship. The study—based on roughly 800 public‑school teachers, 1,000 high‑school students and 1,000 parents—also links heavy school use of AI to increased reports of large‑scale data breaches, failed classroom AI tools, deepfake exposure and instances where school‑issued monitoring produced false alarms with real disciplinary or arrest consequences.
Education
AI & Tech
📌 Key Facts
- Sample sizes: ~800 teachers, 1,000 ninth–12th grade students, 1,000 parents surveyed by CDT
- Prevalence: nearly 20% of high‑schoolers say they or someone they know has had a romantic relationship with AI; 42% report companionship use
- School impacts: teachers in high‑AI‑use schools reported higher large‑scale data‑breach rates (28% vs. 18%), more AI failures, and damaged community trust; 31% of personal AI chats by students occurred on school‑issued devices