No, That AI Chatbot Is Not Your Friend

October 24, 2025

a robotic hand touching a human hand

(Medpage Today) – Here’s what concerns me most as a clinician: the absurdity of the notion that an artificially generated, non-sentient avatar could be a reasonable companion for a child or teen. It goes against everything we know about developmental theory — how children grow through real friendships and mentorship, and how they learn to navigate social and romantic experiences. (Read More)