97% of Teens Go Online Daily as AI Chatbots Become New Digital Habit, Pew Finds

[johnblockbuster]

A new Pew Research Center study shows just how deeply embedded the internet has become in teen life: 97% of U.S. teens go online daily, and about 40% say they’re online almost constantly. While this represents a slight dip from last year, it’s far above the numbers from a decade ago.
But the study highlights a new trend: AI chatbots are rapidly joining social media as a core part of teens’ digital routine. Nearly 30% of teens use AI chatbots every day, with 4% using them almost constantly. ChatGPT dominates the field, used by 59% of teens, more than double the reach of Google’s Gemini or Meta AI.
As policymakers debate online safety — with Australia set to enforce an under-16 social media ban this week — AI tools are becoming an increasingly important piece of the teen mental-health puzzle.

[Abdul Khan]

Chatbots are becoming the next major social platform for teens.

[Rimon Khan]

Huge cultural shift—AI is now part of daily routine for nearly everyone.