Why more Gen Zers are using AI to handle difficult conversations

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• Young people increasingly use AI to craft personal messages
• Experts warn AI reliance may hinder emotional development
• Pandemic disruptions contributed to increased AI social use

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It started with what seemed like a thoughtful message. Patrick, a Yale student, sent Emily a long text after their first date saying he enjoyed spending time with her but was not looking for anything serious. The message was polite, carefully worded and surprisingly formal.

Emily found it odd. After showing it to friends and running it through an AI detector, she had a suspicion. Patrick later confirmed it. He had used ChatGPT to help write the message.

Patrick said he simply did not know how to phrase a rejection without sounding awkward. He wrote down his thoughts, asked the chatbot to help shape them and then copied most of the response, adding an emoji to make it feel more natural.

Stories like this are becoming increasingly common, according to CNN.

AI as a social assistant

Researchers say many young people are now turning to artificial intelligence to help with personal communication. Some use it to write difficult messages. Others paste entire conversations into chatbots to figure out what someone might be thinking.

This behaviour has been described by researchers as “social offloading.” Instead of working through social situations themselves, people rely on AI to help interpret feelings, craft responses or guide conversations.

Dr. Michael Robb of Common Sense Media says the trend is spreading beyond Gen Z. Younger teenagers and even some millennials are beginning to use AI in similar ways.

A 2025 survey by Common Sense Media found that about one third of teenagers say they would rather talk to an AI companion than a real person when discussing serious issues.

Why experts are worried

Mental health professionals say relying too heavily on AI for social interactions can have unintended consequences.

If people regularly use AI to write their messages, they may begin to lose confidence in their own voice. Over time, this can make it harder to handle emotionally complicated conversations without technological help.

There is also a mismatch for the person receiving the message. They may believe they are responding to someone’s genuine words when in reality they are reading a polished version generated by a chatbot.

Psychiatrist Michelle DiBlasi from Tufts University says she has seen young adults using AI as a way to compensate for uncertainty in social situations. Instead of working through uncomfortable conversations themselves, they ask AI to guide them.

But avoiding those moments can slow emotional development.

Learning to read tone, interpret feelings and repair misunderstandings are all skills that develop through real interaction.

The pandemic’s lingering effects

Researchers say the trend is partly shaped by the pandemic.

Many members of Gen Z were in crucial developmental years when lockdowns disrupted school, friendships and face-to-face interaction. Adolescence is normally when people learn to read social cues, navigate conflict and build emotional resilience.

When those experiences are limited, it can leave people less confident about handling social situations later.

AI can seem like a helpful shortcut, but experts warn it may also create a cycle where people rely on technology rather than building those skills themselves.

Why the messy parts of relationships matter

Experts say awkward conversations and misunderstandings are actually essential parts of learning how relationships work.

AI systems are designed to be agreeable and supportive. Real people are not.

That friction is part of what helps people understand emotions, boundaries and communication.

For young people who already feel uncertain about social interactions, the challenge now is learning to step away from the chatbot and trust their own words instead.