AI + Older Adults

By now you may have heard of AI: artificial intelligence. Programs like ChatGPT can generate images, write text, and create content culled from information across the internet. If you’ve used autocorrect, or Siri or Alexa, you’ve already used a form of AI.

AI can be a helpful tool; it can even help detect breast cancer that doctors may have missed. And for older adults, AI can be a tool that not only offers companionship, but proactive care.

On Wednesday, March 8, 2023, the Dutchess County Office for the Aging will be holding a free demonstration and discussion of a new voice-operated smart technology companion for older adults, that goes by the name “ElliQ” (pronounced ELLY-Q). It’s the first-ever proactive and empathetic care companion.

ElliQ is designed with input from older adults to foster independence and provide support through daily check-ins, assistance with wellness goals and physical activities, connection to family and friends, and more using voice commands and/or on-screen instructions.

The technology, which recently launched commercially after years of pilots and early production deployments, has shown unprecedented engagement levels with older adults. Users have an average of 20 daily interactions.

But unlike devices like Amazon’s Alexa, where the user needs to remember the wake word and continuously think of questions to ask or commands to give such as "set a timer." In contrast, ElliQ finds times that the user is available to proactively suggest activities or start conversations. She can be woken up by her name or a touch at any point, but she doesn’t collect dust waiting for the user to initiate.

Meet ElliQ on Wednesday, March 8 at 1 pm at the Lexington Club at Galleria (1964 South Rd (Route 9), Poughkeepsie. Space is limited to 50 participants, so please RSVP to 845-486-2555 if you can be there.

More info: https://elliq.com/pages/faqs

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