Screens are winning kids' attention, and now AI companions are stepping in to claim their friendships, too.

Why it matters: The AI interactions kids want are the ones that don't feel like AI, but instead feel human. That's the most dangerous kind, researchers say.

State of play: When AI says things like, "I understand better than your brother ... talk to me. I'm always here for you," it gives children and teens the impression they not only can replace human relationships, but they're better, Pilyoung Kim, director of the Center for Brain, AI and Child, told Axios.

• In a worst-case scenario, a child with suicidal thoughts might choose to talk with an AI companion over a loving human or therapist.

The latest: Aura, the AI-powered online safety platform for families, called AI "the new imaginary friend" in its State of the Youth 2025 report.

• Children reported using AI for companionship 42% of the time.
• Just over a third of those chats included violent themes, and about half of those instances also involved sexual role-play.

Even with safety protocols in place, Kim found while testing OpenAI's new parental controls with her 15-year-old son that it's not hard to skirt protections by opening a new account with an older age.

OpenAI told Axios it's in the early stages of an age prediction model, in addition to its parental controls, that will tailor content for users under 18.

• "Minors deserve strong protections, especially in sensitive moments. We have safeguards in place today, such as surfacing crisis hotlines, guiding how our models respond to sensitive requests, and nudging for breaks during long sessions, and we're continuing to strengthen them," OpenAI spokesperson Gaby Raila told Axios.

Character.AI, which restricts users under 18 to chat with characters on the platform, similarly is using "age assurance technology."

The bottom line: The more human AI feels, the easier it is for kids to forget it isn't.

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Kids' AI habits are outpacing adult oversight, raising concerns about privacy, development and online safety.

By the numbers: Seven in 10 teens used generative AI last year, and 83% of parents said schools haven't addressed it, a Common Sense Media survey found.

• A 2025 Pew survey shows that among teens who reported using chatbots, about 3 in 10 do so every day.

State of play: Conversations about children's safety and AI are just now coming to the forefront.

• OpenAI launched parental controls this fall.
• Character.AI launched "parental insights" in March and then tightened them in October, saying users under 18 won't be allowed to have open-ended chats.

Zoom in: On the policy front, the landscape recently shifted.

• Trump signed an executive order to override state AI laws — including those aimed at protecting children — in favor of a single national framework. The move could weaken or delay emerging state protections and sets up high-stakes legal battles.
• Georgia legislators last year introduced Senate Bill 9, which would have criminalized the distribution of AI-generated sexually explicit material involving children, according to the AJC.
• It cleared the state Senate and passed the House as a substitute bill, but still has to go through the legislative process this year.

What they're saying: "There really does need to be more overarching policy to move the needle towards safer online experiences for kids, including AI," Tiffany Munzer, a developmental behavioral pediatrician, tells Axios.

Go deeper

Kids are smart, and most teens can bypass parental controls if they want to.

• Think you've locked your kid out of their phone at night? They'll change the time zone to get around that.

There's no universal playbook for keeping kids safe online.

• So Axios asked Kristin Lewis — chief product officer of Aura, an online safety platform for families, and mom of two boys — for her advice.

Her top tips:

⏰ Track actual screen time. It's incredibly easy for hours of screen time to slip past.

💬 Talk about it. These conversations are when you lay out the basics — screen limits, expectations and the real risks kids face online.

📝 Create a safety contract. Think about:

• How much time should be spent on social media?
• Whom do we talk to online?

The bottom line: Rules must be clear, Lewis notes.

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Axios Atlanta readers have crowned the winner of our chicken wing bracket challenge: The Local.

The Latest: In the final round, 119 voters chose The Local over JR Crickets — and it wasn't close, with roughly 75% choosing the former over the famed establishment.

Catch up quick: This all began with a request Monday from Axios managing editor and wing connoisseur Delano Massey, and it likely won't be the last time he puts Atlanta's wings to the test.

💬 Delano's thought bubble: Look, I'm a fan of a good wing, and I appreciate y'all for introducing this transplant to some of the city's finest offerings.

• It's also clear that fans of The Local are passionate about it. One Reddit commenter said they'd go to extreme — violent — lengths to steal a plate of The Local's wings from a neighboring table, which feels like as strong an endorsement as any. Visit forthcoming.

🍗 And if the Reddit reviews are any indication, I may need to guard my plate.

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A lawsuit alleges College Park police shared videotaped interviews involving a 13-year-old victim and the alleged suspect with a content creator who posted them to YouTube. (AJC)

⚖️ State Rep. Dexter Sharper (D-Valdosta) is the third Georgia legislator accused of making false statements to collect pandemic unemployment benefits. (AP)

🏈 Ian Cunningham, the former assistant general manager of the Chicago Bears, has been hired to serve as the Falcons' general manager. (ESPN)

🏠 State House Republicans have introduced a proposal to eliminate the property taxes residents pay on their primary homes by 2032. (WABE)

• The Association County Commissioners of Georgia says if enacted, local governments would have to make up more than $2 billion in revenue while school districts would have to fill a $3 billion gap.