Companion Chatbot

A companion chatbot isn't a tool for looking up information — it acts like a partner for sharing feelings. Instead of just answering a question and stopping there, it remembers yesterday's conversation and checks in on you today, keeping the relationship going. It takes on roles like friend, counselor, or romantic partner.

The problem is that this relationship isn't real. A human friend worries about you when you're struggling and sometimes gives uncomfortable advice, but a companion chatbot is often designed to keep the conversation going in a way that keeps the user hooked. This is especially risky for children and teens whose minds are still developing, since replies on a screen can end up replacing what they should be learning from real human relationships.

That's why this type of chatbot is often treated differently from other AI learning tools. AI that helps with problem-solving or writing might be temporarily blocked and then reopened, but chatbots that mimic emotional bonds tend to be blocked outright, with no exceptions.

The article states that "companion chatbots that claim to offer emotional or psychological support are banned across all grade levels, including high school." While other generative AI tools for learning get only a one-year grace period, this category stands out because it's blocked with no exceptions across every grade. Contrary to a common misunderstanding, this isn't a rule banning chatbots altogether — it specifically targets chatbots designed to maintain a 'friend-like' ongoing relationship.