A New Connection Calculus: Young People’s Journey In and Out of Emotional AI Use

Young people are coming of age with AI that can simulate aspects of human relationships. Building on a survey of 2,383 young people ages 13–24, we conducted 29 in-depth interviews in January 2026 with young people ages 16–24 who use AI for personal and emotional support or who talk to AI characters and personas. Interviewees described a journey into relational AI use that often began with a rupture in a human relationship; weighed AI as less risky than disclosing to people; and found that AI magnified the relationship habits they brought to it. Those who understood AI’s problematic behaviors, and saw them as a problem, built the strongest self-protections. The interviews are not representative and do not establish causal effects. We discuss implications for those who build, fund, research, and support young people’s use of AI.