The Role of AI in Peer Support for Young People: A Study of Preferences for Human- and AI-Generated Responses
This addresses how AI can be integrated into peer support for young people, with implications for safety and well-being, though it is incremental as it builds on existing research on AI in social contexts.
The study investigated young people's preferences for AI- vs. human-generated responses in peer support exchanges, finding that participants preferred AI for topics like relationships and health, but humans for sensitive issues like suicidal thoughts.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is integrated into everyday technology, including news, education, and social media. AI has further pervaded private conversations as conversational partners, auto-completion, and response suggestions. As social media becomes young people's main method of peer support exchange, we need to understand when and how AI can facilitate and assist in such exchanges in a beneficial, safe, and socially appropriate way. We asked 622 young people to complete an online survey and evaluate blinded human- and AI-generated responses to help-seeking messages. We found that participants preferred the AI-generated response to situations about relationships, self-expression, and physical health. However, when addressing a sensitive topic, like suicidal thoughts, young people preferred the human response. We also discuss the role of training in online peer support exchange and its implications for supporting young people's well-being. Disclaimer: This paper includes sensitive topics, including suicide ideation. Reader discretion is advised.