Whew! This episode of The Patrick Madrid Show is thought-provoking, a little scary, and very relevant for every Catholic parent, teacher, and really anyone who knows a teenager. 🧒📱
Patrick and Producer Cyrus tackle a recent report showing that a third (yes, 1 in 3!) of American teens aged 13–17 say they prefer chatting with AI bots over actual humans. 😳
“AI is just a tool” – Patrick’s Perspective
Patrick makes it clear that he’s not afraid of AI, just like he’s not afraid of a knife or the internet. Tools can be dangerous or useful; it depends on how you use them.
While he’s not panicking, he is sounding a big ol’ warning bell for parents. 🔔
He compares AI today to the early days of the internet in the ‘90s — when no one really understood what it was going to become. (Anyone else remember dial-up modems? 😅) He believes AI may be even bigger in terms of its impact on society.
📊 The Report That Got Everyone Talking
The big story they discussed came from a study called “Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs”. It reveals that:
-A full third of teens say they’d rather talk to AI than to friends or family
-Many use AI for emotional support, friendship, and even immoral content
-Teens are sharing personal details with these bots
-Many of them think the bots are better listeners than their actual human companions 😔
Let that sink in: teens are calling these things “companions” — human-sounding language for a non-human tool.
Parents, This Is Your Cue!
Patrick and Cyrus both open up about their own experiences as dads. Cyrus mentioned how his 18-year-old son spent most of his social time during high school in the gaming world, chatting online with friends instead of hanging out in person. 🎮💬
They reminisce about the days when “socializing” meant actually being in the same room. Remember those? Board games, backyard baseball, pizza parties. 🍕⚾ Good times.
Patrick’s challenge to parents is to step up, be aware, and be involved.
💡 Parents, here’s what Patrick recommends you should do:
-Start the conversation. Ask your kids if they’re using AI and how.
-Teach them discernment. They need to know that not everything AI says is true or safe.
-Remind them of real connection. Face-to-face friendship > artificial conversations
-Watch the privacy risks. Nothing shared with AI is truly private. Those convos can be hacked, stored, and sold. 🛑
The Bottom Line
AI is becoming a counterfeit friend for kids who are struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and identity.
But the Church — and real, healthy human relationships — are where true healing and connection happen…. not in a chatbot pretending to care.
💬 Question for YOU:
Have you noticed teens in your life relying more on tech than actual friendships? What are you doing to keep real connection alive?
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