AI chatbots have become embedded in the lives of American teenagers, according to a report published Tuesday by the Pew Research Center. While the most common uses of AI among this demographic are to search for information (57%) and get help with schoolwork (54%), teens are also using AI to fill roles that would typically be occupied by friends or family. Sixteen percent of U.S. teens say they use AI for casual conversation, while 12% use AI chatbots for emotional support or advice. Some teens may find solace in talking to chatbots, but mental health professionals are wary. General purpose tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok are not designed for such uses, and in the most extreme cases, these chatbots can have life-threatening psychological effects. “We are social creatures, and there’s certainly a challenge that these systems can be isolating,” Dr. Nick Haber, a Stanford professor researching the therapeutic potential of LLMs, told TechCrunch recently.…