The AI Addiction Center Blog

California just became the first state in the nation to pass comprehensive regulation of AI companion chatbots. If you have kids, use AI chatbots yourself, or know anyone who does, this matters to you—even if you don’t live in California. Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 243 into law on Monday, and it takes effect January […]

If you’ve discovered Replika on your teenager’s phone, you need to understand something immediately: this isn’t a homework helper or innocent chatbot. Replika is specifically designed to create romantic and emotional attachments—and your teen may have developed what they experience as a genuine “relationship” with artificial intelligence. This guide explains what Replika is, why it’s

If you’ve just discovered Character.AI on your child’s phone or tablet, you’re not alone—and you’re right to be concerned. 72% of US teens now use AI companion platforms, yet 63% of parents whose teens use these apps don’t even know their children are engaging with them. Character.AI isn’t a harmless chatbot app. It’s currently facing

Searching for SpicyChat.ai alternatives? If you’re using SpicyChat.ai’s 5M-user NSFW community for explicit AI interactions, you’re at an advanced stage of sexual AI dependency—switching to similar platforms represents continued escalation, not problem-solving. This guide ranks explicit AI chatbot platforms by sexual compulsivity and escalation risk factors. Take our free AI addiction assessment Understanding Sexual AI

“Why am I addicted to SpicyChat.ai?” If you’re asking this question, you’re likely experiencing patterns you never anticipated—waiting 30-45 minutes in queue just to access explicit AI conversations, escalating to content that disturbs you, spending money on “Hybrid mode” for faster responses, or finding real intimacy less satisfying than virtual explicit interactions. Your SpicyChat.ai addiction

Searching for Zeta alternatives? If you’re a teen/young adult spending 2+ hours daily with anime AI characters, or a parent concerned about your child’s Zeta usage, switching platforms won’t solve the underlying engagement addiction—platforms optimized for youth users all employ similar addictive mechanics. This guide ranks platforms by youth addiction risk factors. Zeta’s Korean origin,

Searching for Botify alternatives? If you’re seeking platforms to interact with celebrity or fictional character AI, you’re exhibiting parasocial relationship patterns—switching platforms won’t solve the underlying attachment to people who don’t know you exist. This guide ranks platforms by parasocial attachment and celebrity obsession risk factors. Take our free AI addiction assessment Understanding Parasocial AI

OpenAI just announced they’re implementing age verification for ChatGPT. If your teenager uses ChatGPT, you’re about to get parental controls whether you asked for them or not. And OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman is being surprisingly blunt: they’re prioritizing safety over privacy, even for adults. Here’s what’s actually happening, why it matters, and what you need

Searching for Replika alternatives? If you’re dissatisfied with Replika’s limitations or subscription costs, switching platforms likely indicates deepening AI relationship dependency—not a technical problem requiring a better app. This guide ranks AI companion platforms by romantic attachment risk factors. Take our free AI addiction assessment Understanding Romantic AI Dependency Replika usage patterns indicating addiction: Researching

Searching for Janitor.AI alternatives? If you’re using Janitor.AI for unlimited NSFW content, you’ve likely developed sexual dependency patterns that will transfer and intensify on any similar platform. Switching won’t solve it—it will escalate it. This guide ranks uncensored chatbot platforms by sexual addiction risk factors. Take our free AI addiction assessment Understanding NSFW Escalation Patterns