National Survey: 1 in 5 High Schoolers Reports AI Romantic Relationships

A national survey published in October 2025 asked high school students, teachers and parents about AI in schools. One result got most of the attention: nearly one in five students said they or someone they know has had a romantic relationship with AI. This page explains what the survey asked, what it found and what it cannot tell us.

The survey comes from the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), a US nonprofit that works on technology policy. The report is called “Hand in Hand: Schools’ Embrace of AI Connected to Increased Risks to Students.” It surveyed 1,030 high school students, 806 teachers and 1,018 parents between June and August 2025 (GovTech summary). We could not open the full report, so the figures below come from news coverage of it and are worth checking against CDT’s own page.

What the Survey Found

• 86% of students and 85% of teachers said they had used AI in the 2024-25 school year (GovTech).
• 42% of students said they, or someone they know, had used AI for mental health support, as a friend or companion, or to get away from real life (eWeek).
• Nearly one in five said they, or someone they know, had a romantic relationship with AI (eWeek).
• About half of students said AI in class made them feel less connected to their teachers (eWeek).
• Fewer than half of teachers and students had received any AI training from their school, and about one in five had been taught about risks such as overreliance (GovTech).

Reading the Numbers Carefully

“They or someone they know” is a wide net. A student can answer yes because of a classmate’s rumor. The figure tells you the topic is common in school conversations. It does not tell you how many students are in a relationship with a chatbot.

The survey also asked about use, not harm. It did not measure addiction or dependence, and it does not show that school AI use causes students to form attachments. CDT describes a pattern: in schools where AI is used in more ways, students were more likely to report these experiences. That is an association. Students who already feel lonely might use AI more at school and at home.

Privacy and Safety Findings

Teachers at schools with heavier AI use were more likely to report large-scale data breaches, and those schools heard of more deepfake incidents, including sexual images made without consent (GovTech). Nearly a third of students said they had used school-issued devices or software for personal conversations with AI (eWeek). Activity on school accounts may be visible to the school, so it is worth reading your school’s policy before sharing anything private there.

What Parents and Students Can Do

Ask what AI tools your school uses and what it does with the data. Ask whether any teacher or counselor has been trained to respond if a student’s AI use seems to be hurting them. The CDT survey suggests many have not.

The American Psychological Association’s June 2025 advisory on AI and adolescents asks developers to put limits on simulated human relationships and asks adults to teach young people what AI can and cannot do (APA). Child psychiatrists say AI companions are not safe tools for children and advise parents to talk openly, set clear limits and see a doctor if use cannot be moderated (AACAP).

If a student says AI is the only place they feel understood, treat that as a sign they need more human support, not as a reason for shame.

Need support now? In the US you can reach the 988 Lifeline by calling or texting 988 at any hour, or text HOME to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line. SAMHSA’s helpline is 1-800-662-4357. Dial 911 in an emergency.

Does this survey show teens are addicted to AI?

No. It measured how many students use AI and for what, not whether anyone is dependent. “AI addiction” is not a formal diagnosis. The American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5-TR recognizes gambling disorder as its only behavioral addiction (APA).

What does “they or someone they know” mean in the results?

Students could answer yes based on their own experience or on what they had heard about classmates. That makes the numbers a measure of how visible the topic is, not a count of students in relationships with chatbots.

Is it safe to talk to AI on a school laptop?

Assume the school may be able to see activity on school-issued devices and accounts. Keep personal or private conversations off them, and check the school’s policy.

Education only, not medical advice.