A CELCIS Emerging Insight Series Webinar:
Companion, advisor or misguided friend? What do we need to know about the relationships children and young people have with AI and chatbots?
Across the world, children and young people are exposed to AI-powered tools every day. Some of this is by choice, some by design. How might this be affecting the health and wellbeing of young people? Could using chatbots help or hinder how our children develop and navigate the world we live in? What does their interaction with these technologies and tools tell us about what they need, and can these be used safely?
With AI increasingly present in the daily lives of children and young people, as part of our webinar series focusing in on AI and children’s social care, we turned to consider what it is that those with a professional and personal interest in their care and protection need to understand about the impact and influence that the use of AI might be having in young lives.
This session brought together new practice and research insight to put a specific spotlight on these questions.
We heard from:
- Dr Jonathan Cantor, Senior Policy Researcher, RAND, co-author of a recent study on the use of AI for mental health advice among adolescents and young adults in the US
- Dr Jason Nagata, Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at the University of California San Francisco and affiliated faculty with the Institute for Global Health Sciences, paediatrician and researcher specialising in adolescent medicine, epidemiology, data science and use of digital media
- Dr Michael Robb, Head of Research, Common Sense Media, and co-author of the recent study published by Common Sense on how and why teens use AI companions.
This series of webinars is ideal for anyone with a professional or personal interest in and responsibility to support children and families in Scotland, the UK and anywhere in the world. This includes:
- Practitioners in social care, health, and education
- Service managers responsible for shaping and delivering key services
- National and local policy leads and decision-makers
- Local service commissioners
- Parents and carers
- Students and researchers of social care
Source material / pre-reading
- Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/talk-trust-and-trade-offs-how-and-why-teens-use-ai-companions
- Use of Generative AI for Mental Health Advice Among US Adolescents and Young Adults: https://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP71039.html
- Lowering the risks of interactions with chatbots: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/29/nx-s1-5646633/teens-ai-chatbot-sex-violence-mental-health
Download the webinar transcript
Download the slides from Dr Jason Nagata
Download the slides from Dr Michael Robb
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This learning is recognised and accredited by CPD UK and can be claimed towards your CPD requirement as set out by professional bodies, institutes, and employers. This webinar has been accredited with 1.5 hours of CPD. You can find out more about CPD accreditation and the benefits here.
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Thank you for your time and we hope to see you at future events.