JED highlights growing youth MH risks in an AI‐driven era

As 2026 begins, young people are coming of age within systems increasingly strained by fragmentation, automation and shrinking access to human‐centered care, according to a new blog published on the Jed Foundation's (JED) website. Rapid technological advances are converging with fewer opportunities for in‐person connection, leaving many youth to develop in environments where social support is mediated — or diminished. These shifts unfold against a backdrop of economic and policy instability, challenging young people's core needs for belonging, stability and guidance.