Skip To Main Content
Greg Toppo on Muck Rack

Greg Toppo

Verified
Maryland
As seen in: The 74, Medium, MSN, Yahoo Life, MMA Junkie Radio, The Independent (UK), The Washington Post, USA Today, Yahoo Canada, Yahoo News, Yahoo News Malaysia and
Senior Writer, @The74; Co-author, RUNNING WITH ROBOTS: The American High School’s 3rd Century @running_robots; author of THE GAME BELIEVES IN YOU @gamebelieves

Get in touch with Greg

Contact Greg, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.

Learn more about Muck Rack

Actions

Share this page

Articles

Young people turn to AI to be ‘their real, unfiltered selves’

|
By Greg Toppo Verified
| Benton County Enterprise Verified
Posted 8/3/26 The 74 reports young people are increasingly turning to AI for companionship due to fears of judgment, feeling like burdens, and seeking emotional support. This item is available in full to subscribers. E-mail Password Print and web subscribers If you're a print and web subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. Non-subscribers Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Open in Who Shared View Duplicates (19) Issue with article?

Young people turn to AI to be ‘their real, unfiltered selves’

|
By Greg Toppo Verified
| Montgomery Standard Verified
Posted Monday, August 3, 2026 8:30 am Alison Lee still remembers the conversation that helped her understand why young people turn to the safety of artificial intelligence for companionship and belonging. She was talking to a high school student and the girl told her, “Nobody dances at prom anymore.” A researcher at The Rithm Project, a nonprofit focused on human connection in the age of AI, Lee asked: Why not? In a word, the girl said: Instagram.
Open in Who Shared View Duplicates (49) Issue with article?

Young people turn to AI to be ‘their real, unfiltered selves’

|
By Greg Toppo Verified
| The Caledonian-Record Verified
kAmp=:D@? {66 DE:== C6>6>36CD E96 4@?G6CD2E:@? E92E 96=A65 96C F?56CDE2?5 H9J J@F?8 A6@A=6 EFC? E@ E96 D276EJ @7 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 7@C 4@>A2?:@?D9:A 2?5 36=@?8:?8] $96 H2D E2=<:?8 E@ 2 9:89 D49@@= DEF56?E 2?5 E96 8:C= E@=5 96C[ “}@3@5J 52?46D 2E AC@> 2?J>@C6]”k^Am kAmp C6D62C496C 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E96C:E9>AC@;64E]@C8^Qm%96 #:E9> !C@;64Ek^2m[ 2 ?@?AC@7:E 7@4FD65 @? 9F>2? 4@??64E:@? :? E96 286 @7 px[ {66 2D<65i (9J ?@Enk^Am kAmx?
Open in Who Shared Issue with article?
See all 2,785 licensed articles (2,866 Total)