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?

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

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&ndash;17 say they prefer chatting with AI bots over actual humans. 😳
<hr data-start="480" data-end="483">
&ldquo;AI is just a tool&rdquo; &ndash; Patrick&rsquo;s Perspective
Patrick makes it clear that he's not afraid of AI, just like he&rsquo;s not afraid of a knife or the internet. Tools can be dangerous or useful; it depends on how you use them.&nbsp;
While he&rsquo;s not panicking, he is sounding a big ol&rsquo; warning bell for parents. 🔔
He compares AI today to the early days of the internet in the &lsquo;90s &mdash; when no one really understood what it was going to become. (Anyone else remember dial-up modems? 😅) He believes&nbsp;AI may be even bigger in terms of its impact on society.
<hr data-start="1122" data-end="1125">
📊 The Report That Got Everyone Talking
The big story they discussed came from a study called &ldquo;<a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/talk-trust-and-trade-offs_2025_web.pdf">Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs</a>&rdquo;. It reveals that:
-A full third of teens say they&rsquo;d rather talk to AI than to friends or family&nbsp;
-Many use AI for emotional support, friendship, and even immoral content
-Teens are sharing&nbsp;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 &ldquo;companions&rdquo; &mdash; human-sounding language for a non-human tool.
<hr data-start="1774" data-end="1777">
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 &ldquo;socializing&rdquo; meant actually being in the same room. Remember those? Board games, backyard baseball, pizza parties. 🍕⚾ Good times.
Patrick&rsquo;s challenge to parents is to step up, be aware, and be involved.
💡 Parents, here&rsquo;s what Patrick recommends you should do:
-Start the conversation. Ask your kids if they&rsquo;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 &gt; artificial conversations
-Watch the privacy risks. Nothing shared with AI is truly private. Those convos can be hacked, stored, and sold. 🛑
<hr data-start="2887" data-end="2890">
The Bottom Line
AI is becoming a&nbsp;counterfeit friend for kids who are struggling with loneliness, anxiety, and identity.&nbsp;
But the Church &mdash; and real, healthy human relationships &mdash; are where true healing and connection happen.... not in a chatbot pretending to care.
<hr data-start="3698" data-end="3701">
💬 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?
<hr>
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.