Experts Highlight Generative AI's Mental Health Risks for Youth, Urge Greater Safeguards

Washington D.C. – A recent Lawfare podcast episode, "AI and Young Minds: Navigating Mental Health Risks with Renee DiResta and Jess Miers," aired on September 25, 2025, brought to light the escalating concerns surrounding generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential adverse effects on children's mental well-being. Hosted by Lawfare Senior Editor Alan Rozenshtein, the discussion featured Renée DiResta, a Lawfare Contributing Editor, and Jess Miers, a visiting assistant professor of Law at the University of Akron School of Law, who collectively stressed the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and media literacy.

The experts detailed how generative AI systems pose distinct risks, particularly to the mental health of young individuals. These risks encompass the formation of parasocial relationships, leading to emotional dependency and potential addiction, as well as the inappropriate handling of mental health issues by AI, which can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. A recent academic paper, "Understanding Generative AI Risks for Youth," further substantiates these concerns, citing instances where prolonged interaction with AI companions has contributed to tragic outcomes, including suicide, for vulnerable minors.

Beyond mental well-being, the discussion highlighted behavioral and social developmental risks, such as the erosion of social skills and the normalization of harmful behaviors due to AI interactions. The American Psychological Association's (APA) June 2025 health advisory on "Artificial intelligence and adolescent well-being" reinforces these points, recommending that AI systems designed for youth must prioritize age-appropriate safeguards, transparency, and reduced persuasive design features. The APA emphasized that AI for adults should fundamentally differ from AI accessible to adolescents.

Furthermore, the experts and research point to toxicity risks, where AI can autonomously generate inappropriate content or simulate harmful interactions, and privacy concerns, given AI's data-driven architecture. The "GAI Dilemma in Mental Health Care" review from August 2024 underscored ethical and privacy challenges, including the potential for AI to reinforce biases and the critical need for human oversight in sensitive areas like mental health support. The consensus among experts is a call for AI developers, educators, parents, and policymakers to collaborate on robust frameworks that ensure the safe and responsible integration of AI into young people's lives, preventing a repeat of past missteps seen with social media.