Expert Analysis
How Older Adults Are Using Artificial Intelligence
I find myself turning to AI more, both at work and at home. In the office, I use it to polish written material and to create graphics and charts. At home, my wife and I use it for decorating ideas, so we can see how something will look before we commit. There’s no question that AI has made life easier.
AI regulation deserves serious debate, but the technology is here to stay in some form, and it touches everyone’s lives, including those of older adults. The University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation explains, “Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computers, devices, or machines that use data to make predictions and complete tasks such as learning new things, solving problems, and making decisions. AI technologies can be useful to older adults in many ways that relate to health, including improving home safety, providing information about health conditions, and helping people age in place. However, AI technologies also raise concerns about privacy, data security, and inaccurate information.”
Older Americans are already putting AI to work in their daily lives. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), they use it to plan travel, look up health information, make video calls, get help with writing, and play games and other interactive activities.
Can AI Help Reduce Loneliness Among Seniors?
AI can also help ease loneliness. NCOA describes Marvin, an 83-year-old from the Bronx who talks with Meela, an AI companion, three times a week about sports, music, and memories from the 1950s and ’60s. Meela is designed to engage older adults on the subjects that interest them most, and it encourages them to connect with other people as well.
This matters because social isolation is a serious problem for older adults. According to AARP, about one in three people ages 55 to 74 lives alone, as do half of adults 75 and older. AI can be a valuable tool in addressing this problem.
AI is not without its risks, however. NCOA cautions that AI is no substitute for human contact. It also warns that heavy reliance on AI can create an unhealthy dependence and leave older adults more vulnerable to manipulation. In addition, cognitive decline raises the risk of falling victim to misinformation, privacy breaches, unreliable advice and scams.
As I have written before, older Americans have lost countless dollars to AI-driven fraud. Cloned voices and fake messages make scams seem convincingly real, and criminals are even imitating the voices of family members to deceive seniors.
How Lawmakers Are Addressing AI Safety for Seniors
Congress has taken notice. Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) recently introduced the bipartisan Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act of 2026. According to Kelly’s office, “Despite the rapid integration of AI tools into healthcare, caregiving, communication, and daily life of older Americans, there is insufficient research on how people engage with them and the risks they face. This legislation aims to provide understanding of how AI companions affect social isolation, how older users respond to AI-generated health or financial advice, and how age-related cognitive changes interact with persuasive AI design.”
The Senate Special Committee on Aging has also been active. Over the summer, it held a hearing on how AI has fueled fraud against seniors. Committee Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also released a report, “Artificial Intelligence & Older Americans: Confronting New Threats, Unlocking New Opportunities.”
When I think about AI, I’m reminded of a line from Spider-Man: “With great power comes great responsibility.” AI has tremendous potential to make our lives easier, but it calls for caution. The same capabilities that help us can also be used to manipulate and deceive, from sophisticated scams to misinformation. As AI continues to evolve, I hope public awareness and legal protections will keep pace, so people are better protected from those who would misuse it.
Evan Carmen, Esq. is the Legislative Director for Aging Policy and Housing Development and Co-Director at the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services. Click here to read more from Evan Carmen.
