Artificial intelligence is a hot topic in schools and workplaces, which might make it seem like only younger people are using it. Yet, older Americans are engaging with AI as well, prompting questions about how they use the technology and their opinions of it.
I study aging, disability, and technology use, and I collaborated with the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging to survey nearly 3,000 Americans over 50. We asked about their AI usage and any concerns they have about the technology.
Among those surveyed, 55% said they had used some form of AI, either through voice interaction, like Amazon’s Alexa, or text-based tools, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Voice assistants were far more popular than chatbots: half of respondents had used a voice assistant in the past year, while only one in four had used a chatbot.
Favored by Some
Maintaining independence remains a key priority for older Americans, many of whom either prefer not to live in long-term care communities or cannot afford to. AI may help support this goal. Our research indicates that older adults using AI at home find it useful for living safely and independently.
Most used AI for entertainment or information searches, but some reported more inventive applications, such as generating text, creating images, or planning trips.
Almost one in three older adults reported using AI-enabled home security devices, like doorbells, outdoor cameras, and alarm systems, and 96% of these users felt safer with them.
While indoor monitoring cameras raise privacy concerns, outdoor AI cameras appear to provide reassurance for older adults aging alone or without nearby family. Among the 35% using AI-powered home security, nearly all—96%—found them beneficial.
However, AI use among older adults varies by demographics. Those in better health, with higher education levels, and higher incomes were more likely to use AI voice assistants and home security devices in the past year, reflecting adoption trends similar to other technologies like smartphones.
Relying on AI Can be Challenging
As information about AI’s accuracy becomes more available, questions about its trustworthiness arise. Our survey found that older Americans are divided on trusting AI-generated content: 54% said they trust it, while 46% do not. Those who trusted AI were more likely to have used some form of AI technology in the past year.
AI-generated content can sometimes appear accurate while actually being wrong. Being able to detect such inaccuracies is crucial for deciding how to use AI-generated search results or chatbots. Yet, only half of the older adults surveyed felt confident in their ability to spot errors in AI content.
Participants with higher education levels were more likely to feel confident in identifying inaccuracies. In contrast, older adults reporting poorer physical or mental health were less likely to trust AI-generated content.
Next Steps
These findings reflect a familiar pattern in technology adoption, seen even among younger populations: healthier and more educated individuals tend to adopt new technologies first. This highlights the need to ensure all older adults understand both the benefits and risks of AI.
How can older adults who haven’t yet used AI access guidance to make informed choices? How can institutions create effective training and awareness programs so that those who trust AI don’t over-rely on it or use it inappropriately for important decisions without understanding the risks?
Our survey suggests some starting points for developing AI literacy tools for older adults. Nine in ten respondents wanted to know when information was generated by AI. AI labels are beginning to appear on search results, such as Google’s AI snippets.
Some states, including Michigan, have adopted policies requiring disclosure of AI-generated content in political ads, but similar notices could be expanded to nonpolitical advertising and social media. Nearly 80% of older adults expressed interest in learning more about AI risks—how errors might occur and how to respond.
Policymakers could focus on enforcing AI disclosures, especially as the U.S. considers revising AI regulations in ways that might remove language addressing risk, discrimination, and misinformation.
Overall, our findings indicate that AI has the potential to support healthy aging. Still, improving training tools and policies to make risks clear could help mitigate both overtrust and mistrust of AI.
Read the original article on: Tech Xplore
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