This essay synthesizes our perspectives on AI companions and adolescent development. A longer version is being prepared for academic peer review. Feedback is welcome.

We argue that the key is to recognize AI companions as potential members of a child’s social world, clique members that are often invisible to adults. Parents’ role must evolve from spotting visible human cliques to sighting invisible AI cliques: recognizing when a companion relationship is forming, reading signs of social substitution, and, when needed, breaking the bond, much like one would intervene in a harmful peer clique.