Teenage boys turn to AI chatbots for connection as worrying trends emerge

A new study has revealed the rapid rise of AI-driven relationships among teenage boys, raising fresh concerns about how technology is shaping behaviour and connection.

Research by Male Allies UK, based on responses from over 1,000 boys aged 12 to 16, found that one in five knows someone with an AI 'partner'.

Engagement with chatbots is now widespread. A staggering 85 per cent of respondents said they had spoken to an AI bot, while 43 per cent admitted they turn to chatbots to ask questions they feel too embarrassed to raise elsewhere.

For some, the appeal goes deeper. One in four boys said they preferred the attention and connection offered by chatbots over human interaction, describing the experience as making them "feel nice".

However, the research also highlights more troubling behaviours emerging alongside this shift. Chatbots are increasingly being linked to the normalisation of explicit AI-generated content. Nearly 9 per cent of respondents admitted to creating sexualised images of friends using AI tools, while 5 per cent said they had generated explicit images of family members.

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Lee Chambers, founder of Male Allies UK, said the findings reflect a broader shift in how young people are growing up.

"It’s easy to think the world has gone mad with the rise of AI girlfriends and boyfriends, but when we look back to childhoods spent outside in community areas, parks and when things felt safer, we can see why children are spending more time online where it’s 'safe' than ever before.

"The rise of the conversation about toxic masculinity has been crucial, but it’s also shining a very bright light on boys, and the pressure to always get it right can be overwhelming".

Lee believes boys need real-life connection and conversation to move forward.

"To know that they are supported and that they can speak up about what they are doing online without being judged," he shared. "We can’t just remove every new trend online; instead, we need to bridge the gap between boys who are growing up with social media and AI and parents who are worried about the unknown".

In response, the organisation has launched a guide for parents and boys aimed at helping bridge the gap between technology and behaviour across generations.

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