Jackie Dover
AGE SPOTS
I am not a computer or technology expert. Truth is, I hate upgrading my phone or computer or learning about all the new features everything has now. Smart phones, smart cars and even smart refrigerators, sometimes everything feels like it’s smarter than I am. And now, we have Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is taking over everything.
AI is computer technology that has been programmed to “learn” and understand speech, solve problems and make decisions. Does that sound scary? It does to me. However, AI has been around for quite a while and has just become more advanced with the innovation of technology. In 1996, a computer known as Deep Blue beat chess champion Garry Kasparov in a game of chess. Since that time, AI has improved to the extent that it can now navigate roads and we have “self-driving” cars that have features that can detect road hazards and respond accordingly.
Benefits of AI in healthcare for seniors include wearable devices that can monitor vital signs and record valuable information for your doctor. AI devices can also give seniors reminders to take their medication or keep calendar notifications. They are also used in alert devices that can call emergency services or families in case of a fall or other emergency. AI can also be used to analyze a lot of data quickly so it could help in diagnosing problems and allow treatment to start earlier.
AI can also offer companionship to seniors who may not have as much access to friends or family. Having a chat-bot or virtual assistant who can answer questions, tell stories or just be a way to vent can decrease loneliness and improve mental well-being. In my home, we have an Amazon Alexa device, we switch the voice up on occasion to make it more fun but our Alexa gives us weather updates, tells us jokes and answers tons of questions that we have throughout the day. Alexa also plays music when we tell them what mood we are in, keeps shopping lists, and even makes suggestions based on previous purchases. The down side is sometimes Alexa talks to us for no reason, so that is a little creepy. Nevertheless, the benefits outweigh the risks for us, for now.
There are downsides to AI, privacy concerns being one of the most commonly mentioned. Alexa can answer my questions, because Alexa is always listening. There are steps you can take to turn off devices like Alexa but some things will record locations and activity because that is the purpose of the device. As with any interactions, you need to be cautious. Make sure you know the privacy policies and how to adjust the privacy settings on your devices. Always protect your personal information from AI or humans.
AI also has the ability to generate “false images” that include pictures, audio and video, which can be used to spread false information. I have seen some of the AI videos and some are very obviously fake but others can be shockingly real. Many artists and authors are concerned that, as AI improves, people will rely on artificially produced content and devalue that made by real people. Another concern is that we become too dependent on machines doing all the “thinking” and we lose our critical thinking, reasoning and problem solving skills. I’m sure we can all point to someone in our lives that seems overly reliant on their devices already and as AI develops, it could get worse.
The bottom line is AI is here to stay and will continue to develop and evolve. We just have to be intelligent ourselves and make sure we keep our human connections.
If you are a senior or have questions about senior issues, please call Aging Matters 800-392-8771. Because….Aging Matters.
