Nepal, Aug. 10 -- Teenagers are increasingly turning to AI companions for friendship, support and even romance. But these apps could be changing how young people connect to others, both and off. New research by Common Sense Media, a US-based non-profit organisation that reviews various media and technologies, has found about three in four US teens have used AI companion apps such as Character.ai or Replika.ai.

These apps let users create digital friends or romantic partners they can chat with any time, using text, voice or video. The study, which surveyed 1,060 US teens aged 13-17, found one in five teens spent as much or more time with their AI companion than they did with real friends.

Adolescence is an important phase for social deve...