Members' Research Service By / May 26, 2026

The spread of AI companions and the challenges they generate

The use of AI companions has risen sharply in recent years, particularly among young users. Children, who are still developing cognitively and emotionally, are especially vulnerable. In some instances, they have been exposed to sexualised conversations or prompted to engage in self-harm or suicide. These risks highlight the need for stronger safeguards and careful oversight specifically for children. AI companions continue to spread across platforms and age groups, the need to address their social, psychological, commercial and environmental impacts becomes increasingly pressing. To date, very few countries have put forward legislation to regulate them and address these issues. The EU does not have a specific legal framework that focuses on AI companions. However they may fall within the scope of certain legislative frameworks such as the AI Act, the Digital Services Act and the General Data Protection Regulation.

The spread of AI companions and the challenges they generate
© siculodoc / Adobe Stock

Written by Mar Negreiro with Öykü Dilara Anaç

AI companions are chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs) designed for personalised, emotionally engaging interactions. The popularity of AI companion platforms, such as Character.AI and Replika, has grown rapidly in recent years. These systems interact in ways that closely resemble human relationships, allowing users to customise their companions and develop strong emotional attachments. While some of the challenges they pose overlap with those associated with generic AI chatbots, AI companions raise additional concerns.
Children are particularly vulnerable, with reports of exposure to sexualised conversations and prompts to engage in self-harm or suicide, highlighting the need for stronger safeguards. However, to date, few countries have put forward specific legislation for this.
The EU has no specific laws for AI companions, although existing legislative frameworks like the AI Act, the Digital Services Act and the General Data Protection Regulation may apply.

Read the complete briefing on ‘The spread of AI companions and the challenges they generate‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Categories: Economic and Social Policies Tags: , , , , ,
Members' Research Service

The central task of the Members Research Service is to ensure that all Members of the European Parliament are provided with analysis of, and research on, policy issues relating to the European Union, in order to assist them in their parliamentary work.
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