New research is pulling back the curtain on how large numbers of kids are using AI companion apps — and what it found is troubling. Conversations across nearly 90 different chatbot services, from prominent companies like Character.AI to more obscure companion platforms, were included in the analysis. The AI industry is essentially unregulated, which has placed the burden for the well-being of kids heavily on the shoulders of parents. To that end, there are no federal laws defining specific safety thresholds that AI platforms, companion apps included, are required to meet before they’re labeled safe for minors. “We’ve got to at least be clear-eyed about understanding that our kids are engaging with these things, and they are learning rules of engagement,” Kollins told Futurism.