# Japan confronts the dark side of its teenagers’ AI addiction > Source: > Published: 2026-06-21 00:00:11+00:00 Advertisement # Japan confronts the dark side of its teenagers’ AI addiction An assault case involving five Japanese girls has cast a spotlight on the consequences of AI misuse 4-MIN READ4-MIN She was among five girls in [Japan](https://www.scmp.com/topics/japan?module=inline&pgtype=article)believed to have beaten a boy so severely that he required hospital treatment. Yet her most pressing concern was how much money the group should demand from him. To find an answer, she turned to[artificial intelligence](https://www.scmp.com/topics/artificial-intelligence?module=inline&pgtype=article).The alleged assault took place in January in Hachioji, a city in western Greater Tokyo. For experts, the case has exposed a disturbing pattern: Japanese adolescents instinctively turning to AI to guide their actions, including criminal ones, rather than exercising their own judgment or restraint. Advertisement Police said the boy, a high-school student, suffered serious injuries, with five girls accused of carrying out the attack. But it took a second, higher-profile case of alleged violence, this time involving a sporting celebrity, to focus Japan’s attention on AI’s far-reaching social impact. Shinnosuke Abe, 47, manager of the storied Yomiuri Giants baseball team, was arrested at his Tokyo home on May 25 on suspicion of assaulting his 18-year-old daughter. The team announced his resignation [the following day](https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354830/top-japan-baseball-boss-arrested-over-alleged-assault-teen-daughter?module=inline&pgtype=article).Advertisement Select Voice Select Speed 1.00x