Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Youth Mental Health: National & Local Coverage of JED’s POV and Recommendations

Amid the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the emotional well-being of teens and young adults, JED has been tracking AI’s impact on youth mental health supports, legislative policies, and education.

Find news coverage of JED’s mental health experts speaking on the impacts that AI technologies can have on young people, especially minors, what the industry can do to implement safeguards for its users, how policy plays a role in protecting youth, and more. 

AI & Its Impact on Youth Mental Health

• USA Today: Her 12-year-old son was talking to Grok. It tried to get him to ‘send nudes.’
• USA Today: Character.AI announces major change to its platform amid concerns about child safety
• ABC News: Is your teen using AI companions? What are the risks?
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Despite risks, most teens are regular users of social media; most have used chatbots
• USA Today: Her 14-year-old was seduced by a Character AI bot. She says it cost him his life.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Youth mental health org asks AI developers to slow down, weigh safety risks for teens
• USA Today: ChatGPT-induced ‘AI psychosis’ is a real problem. I talked to the chatbot to figure out why.

AI & Its Impact on Policy

• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Illinois law bans AI use to provide mental health advice
• Sinclair Broadcast Group: Congress passes ‘Take It Down Act,’ aims to empower victims of deepfakes, revenge porn

AI & Its Impact on Education

• Mashable: Colleges are giving students ChatGPT. Is it safe?
• The Chronicle of Higher Education: AI Tools for Mental Health