Editor’s Note: This article was written for Mosaic, an independent journalism training program for high school students who report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.

Concern has ballooned nationwide as youth have embraced AI for friendship and advice, but many South Bay teens say they turn to AI for comfort in the absence of other support.

“The cost of mental health help in this country can be prohibitive,” said Ruby Goodwin, recent graduate of Santa Clara High and a UC Irvine freshman. “A lot of people don’t feel like they have someone they trust enough to share with. AI feels easy, even if it’s not the same.”

But that ease can become dependence or even detachment from reality. A joint study by OpenAI and MIT found that higher daily chatbot use corre

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