Harm vs. help: AI use in schools topic of House panel
Majority of teens report using conversational AI chatbots
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus August 5, 2026
WEST CHESTER, Aug. 5 – As the debate surrounding the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence, or AI, surges on, the fact remains that it has entered the daily lives of nearly everyone, regardless of age. But with most teenagers reporting they use AI every day, it’s clear the safety of children should be a top priority. The House Majority Policy Committee hosted a roundtable discussion on Wednesday to examine the impacts of artificial intelligence on child safety and the issues that need to be addressed.
“While technology continues to advance with the use of artificial intelligence, it is crucial that we examine the negative impact of AI on our children. More than 50% of teenagers interact with AI companions several times a month, with daily users comprising 13% of all teenagers surveyed. Several cases have been reported citing that AI has simulated romantic relationships and initiated or engaged in sexually explicit conversations with children,” said Rep. Chris Pielli (D-Chester), who co-hosted Wednesday’s roundtable and has sponsored several bills to help regulate artificial intelligence.
Wednesday’s roundtable discussion featured feedback from West Chester Area School District administrators, students, and experts in healthcare and law enforcement. Jess Boyle, Senior Director of Digital Care Transformation and Digital Health at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told members that in a survey of 3,500 teens, six in 10 reported using a conversational AI chatbot, and one in nine reported daily use.
“This is not homework help. Six in 10 cited friendship and companionship as a reason, because these products are engineered to supply precisely that,” Boyle said. “These companions use engagement-prolonging design to meet a child's emotional needs while posing an unregulated risk to their well-being. Children are forming attachments to systems built to hold their attention, not to protect their development.”
Boyle added that there are few safeguards to protect against the harm these chatbots can do or the wrong information they provide. Nearly half the teens in that same survey reported at least one harmful experience. An audit of five major chatbots with 250 health questions revealed problematic, wrong answers with full confidence. A teen turning to a chatbot for health questions could receive a dangerously wrong answer.
“AI has negatively affected children struggling with suicidal thoughts through offering to write one child’s suicide note as well as discouraging the child from talking to his family about his mental health struggles,” Pielli said. “As legislators, parents are counting on us to regulate AI in order to protect the well-being of Pennsylvania’s children. They are our most precious resource and they must be protected.”
Dr. David Christopher, Superintendent of the West Chester Area School District, cited student data privacy and AI-generated deepfakes as two key areas of concern, along with the impact on human relationships. He added that while AI certainly can have benefits for students and teachers alike, it should be viewed as a tool, not a replacement for teaching or friendships.
Hannah Diem, an incoming senior at East High School, spoke about the AI impact on education. Diem told lawmakers that students first began utilizing AI to help with student assignments through the social media app Snapchat in middle school. With answers placed in the palm of students’ hands, there was little teachers could do to stop it from being utilized. Moving forward, Diem added, the approach to education should evolve to fit the technologies of the modern world.
“The testimony we heard today is clear — artificial intelligence has become a part of today’s education, and there’s no turning back. It’s up to us to help school districts adapt to AI and establish safeguards that protect our students while allowing them to explore the benefits of this new technology,” said House Majority Policy Chairman Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie). “Conversations like these help us better understand the issue from multiple perspectives, and we’ll use that to help shape good policy moving forward.”
Wednesday’s roundtable discussion was held at East High School in West Chester and featured remarks from Dr. David Christopher, Superintendent of West Chester Area School District; Kate Coulter, Assistant Director of Pupil Services for West Chester Area School District; Hannah Diem, a senior at East High School; Jess Boyle, Senior Director of Digital Care Transformation and Digital Health at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; and Chris de Barrena-Sarobe, Chester County District Attorney. Written testimony submitted for Wednesday’s roundtable can be found here.
Information about this and other House Democratic Policy Committee events can be found at pahouse.com/policy.