New National Research Reveals How Context Shapes AI’s Impact on Youth Mental Health

Surgo Health, Young Futures, and The Jed Foundation (JED) find uneven risks and opportunities across youth AI engagement

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prominent in young people’s lives, new nationally representative research finds that young people’s mental health–related experiences with AI vary widely depending on context. Among youth reporting mental health struggles, 12% indicate using GenAI for mental health support and their reactions are mixed, suggesting both potential benefits and risks. For years, “screen time” has been seen as one of the metrics for youth well-being; however, new findings suggest frequency of use of technology alone does not tell the full story.

Surgo Health conducted a two-part research series: the first report (Youth Mental Health in the AI Era: Why Context Matters More Than Technology) in partnership with Young Futures looked at youth AI engagement, and the second report (Youth Mental Health in the AI Era: How GenAI Enters Help-Seeking Pathways) in partnership with The Jed Foundation (JED) looked at how AI enters youth mental health help-seeking. Results show that young people report engaging with AI in fundamentally different ways depending on social support, stress, adversity, and access to care. For youth, AI can function as a tool, a bridge to support, or a substitute for care, with very different implications for well-being.

Six Distinct Segments of Youth AI Engagement:
Drawing on survey data from more than 1,300 youth ages 13–24, the first report, in partnership with Young Futures, identifies six patterns of AI engagement, ordered by increasing frequency of use. Across these segments, mental health outcomes vary widely even among youth with similar levels of AI use, reinforcing that frequency alone is a poor indicator of risk or benefit.

- Low-Use Anxious Skeptics (10%) — distressed, distrustful youth who keep distance from AI amid uncertainty and fear of rapid change
- Thriving Light-Touch Pragmatists (32%) — well-supported youth who maintain a healthy, arm’s-length relationship with AI
- Worried Strivers (7%) — highly pressured, future-anxious youth who see AI as destabilizing rather than supportive
- Emotionally Entangled Superusers (9%) — emotionally vulnerable youth who turn to AI for connection and coping when offline support falls short
- High-Hope, High-Use Skill-Builders (10%) — optimistic power-users who treat AI as a tool for learning, creativity, and future-building
- Curious Low-Concern Learners (10%) — confident, socially grounded youth who use AI to explore, learn, and solve problems

The rest of the youth are those who have never used AI (21%) and youth who don't know what AI tools are (1%).

Different Groups, Different Needs:
Patterns of AI engagement also differ across demographic groups, underscoring the need for targeted, equity-informed approaches.

- Black youth AI users are more likely to be High-Hope, High-Use Skill-Builders, engaging AI for learning and opportunity.
- Hispanic youth AI users are more likely to be Emotionally Entangled Superusers.
- Youth in families receiving government assistance are more likely to be High-Hope, High-Use Skill-Builders.
- LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to be Low-Use Anxious Skeptics, reflecting stress and concerns about safety and control rather than lack of access.

“This research confirms what we hear at Young Futures: young people aren't a monolith and their relationship with AI reflects the broader context of their lives—their relationships, their stressors, and their access to support systems and caring adults," said Dr. Kristine Gloria, COO & Co-founder of Young Futures. "Instead, we need an ecosystem approach that prioritizes social connection, trusted mentorship, and adaptive support structures that can meet young people where they are and respond to their diverse needs and circumstances. One-size-fits-all solutions simply can't serve a generation this varied in how they navigate technology and seek support.”

How Youth Use AI During Mental Health Struggles:
The Jed Foundation (JED) contributed to the question design and interpretation of findings in the second report on mental health care-seeking pathways. Youth who turned to AI during mental health struggles reported greater barriers to professional care, including cost, lack of caregiver support, and not knowing help was available. Many described using AI because it felt easier than talking to people in their lives and helped them avoid burdening others.

Additionally, while short-term emotional relief after AI use was common, it did not consistently translate into positive experiences over time. Neutral or negative experiences were more common when AI functioned as a substitute for care rather than part of a broader support system.

“This report confirms that many young people are turning to general-purpose AI tools to address mental health concerns, especially when they face barriers to care. Importantly, these systems were not designed for this purpose and often serve as endpoints rather than pathways to support from caring adults or mental health professionals,” said Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth, JED’s Chief Medical Officer. “The Jed Foundation is proud to partner with Surgo Health to improve our understanding of young people’s mental health-related experiences with AI.”

Implications for Policy and Practice:
The findings call on public health leaders, educators, and policymakers to move beyond blanket approaches to youth and AI. Instead, the report emphasizes segment-informed strategies that strengthen offline support, protect youth agency, and ensure AI complements, rather than replaces, human connection. The findings also underscore the responsibility of AI developers and platforms for how these systems shape youth help-seeking and emotional support, particularly during moments of distress.

“The most effective responses to youth mental health in the AI era won’t come from technology alone,” said Sema Sgaier, CEO and Co-Founder of Surgo Health. “They will come from investing in the social and emotional environments that shape how young people use these tools, alongside responsible design and governance.”

Together, these studies show that generative AI is already part of youth mental health help-seeking, often on platforms not designed for this purpose. Whether AI reduces harm or deepens inequities depends on how it is built, governed, and integrated into real pathways of care.

Click Here to Read the Reports

Media Contacts

Cathryn Meurn
Chief of Staff
Surgo Health
media@surgohealth.com

Brooke Messaye
Young Futures
brooke@youngfutures.org

Justin Barbo
PR Director
The Jed Foundation
justin@jedfoundation.org

Cathryn Meurn
Surgo Health
+1 301-448-9234
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