Abstract
Relevance: Since 2022, intelligent chatbots (ChatGPT, DeepSeek, etc.) have rapidly become part of adolescents’ daily lives. By 2026, our data show that 93% of Russian adolescents aged 12–17 use AI every day. However, the long‑term effects on self‑awareness, empathy, and personal agency remain largely unknown. A new, subject–object type of communication is emerging – one that simulates live dialogue but lacks genuine sociality.
Objective: To identify the opportunities and risks of bot‑mediated communication for adolescent personality development, focusing on the cognitive, socio‑emotional, and value‑based domains.
Methods & Sample: We analysed global (Pew Research, 2025; Youth Endowment Fund, UK) and Russian (RIA Novosti, 2025) data, complemented by an online survey and semi‑structured interviews with adolescents aged 12–17 (N = 500, Russia, 2026).
Results: 93% of adolescents use AI daily – 85% for learning and 12% for psychological support. 35% find talking to a chatbot similar to talking to a friend; 40% follow chatbot advice without concern; one in eight turn to bots because of loneliness. Key risks include cognitive laziness, reduced empathy, anthropomorphisation of algorithms, conformism, and diminished agency. Key opportunities include 24/7 personalised assistance, lower barriers to seeking support, and the possibility of practising academic skills through guided interaction.
Conclusion: Bot‑mediated communication represents a fundamentally new form of interaction that creates an illusion of sociality. The main danger is not the technology itself but its uncritical use, which can create an environment that lacks the essential conditions for healthy personality development. Fostering critical digital literacy, restoring the value of in‑person communication, and designing evidence‑based educational programmes are urgent priorities.
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