AI and Aging Credit: Linkedin.com
Introduction
According to government statistics life expectancy in western nations has steadily risen over the last two decades. For example in Switzerland with one of the highest life expectancy rates, men on the average can expect to reach an age of 90 while women can expect 92. However, to reach this age depends very much on an individual’s lifestyle. Healthy low-fat food, low alcohol consumption, daily walking and above all social activities like meeting friends may raise life expectancy. Research shows that individuals with higher education and corresponding interests in content have a higher expectancy rate. The impact of AI in this process has many facets, some of which are being discussed in this Essay.
Why to live longer
In the 1800s it was seen as normal to have an average life expectancy of 40 years, and anyone who lived much past this age was viewed as extremely elderly. However, with advancements in science and the development of antibiotics and other drugs to kill bacteria that were major causes of illness and fatalities, the average life expectancy has more than doubled in most western countries. Reasons to desire longevity varies from individual to individual but in general it is based on the following:
- Natural human desire to thrive – since the earliest days of Homo habilis, humans have sought to thrive and survive. Prehistoric man-made shelters and weaponry have been found dating back to 380,000 BCE, showing that the earliest humans had the fight to live and defend themselves against predators. Whilst our lives now are much different to those who lived in the Palaeolithic period, we still have that innate desire to thrive.
- Spending time with family – one of our natural desires is to spend time with individuals close to us. Even if we do not have our own children, the majority of us have family and loved ones. We want to live as long and as well as we can to enjoy being together.
- Furthering our career or hobbies – if you find something you enjoy or you are good at, maybe even something that pays well, there is usually a natural desire there to keep on doing it. This is also connected with the desire of leaving a legacy of one’s achievement alive beyond death reaching us.
- Curiosity and future developments – we are in a time where advancements in technology and healthcare are moving at a fast pace and many want to know what is coming next, which creates a desire for extended longevity. Hence, curiosity is a driving force to live long enough to witness the next big thing!
Use of AI
The National Poll on Healthy Aging report presents findings from a survey conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. This survey was administered online and by phone from February 4th to 28th, 2025, to a randomly selected group of U.S. adults aged 50 to 97.
This poll found that more than half of U.S. adults aged 50 and older have used AI-powered technologies for a variety of reasons, including for health information and social interaction, and more than three out of every 10 older adults use AI in their daily lives. For example, 35% of older adults reported using AI-powered home security devices and systems for protection. Nearly all found them very beneficial for an independent living, an important component of healthy aging. In addition, most older adults who used voice assistants described them as beneficial for aging. Some older adults reported using AI for obtaining health information, which may offer more control over how and when they can answer health questions. Yet those who rely on AI for health information could be subject to inaccurate or incomplete AI-generated information, which can be risky in some health situations, for example managing medications or investigating the cause of new symptoms.
The application of AI in search engines is rapidly increasing. Many of these search engines tell users if the information they are seeing was generated by AI, which supports the poll’s finding that most older adults want to know whether their information comes from a person or AI. However, this kind of transparency is still rare. Other digital platforms that use AI, like patient portal assistants, chatbots and voice assistants, should provide clear statements to inform users when they are receiving AI-generated information. According to the survey older adults overwhelmingly agreed that they would like to learn more about the risks of using AI. In order to support older people in learning about these risks, education sessions can provide information about privacy and data security when using AI, what ‘hallucinations’ are and how AI might unintentionally produce inaccurate information that sounds correct. As AI-powered tools become more common in society, using these technologies to promote healthy aging while reducing risks, will be crucial.
Fear of AI
The research study conducted by the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation also deals with issues of fear about the use of AI. With the growth in the aging population, attitudes in respect to AI continue to be an important area of research. Specifically, the study found that the elderly (65 years and older) are more afraid of AI than younger individuals (less than 65 years old). Elderly individuals face higher levels of fear of dying, which may or may not increase their fear of AI technology. Although education effectively reduces the fear of AI among elderly men, it remains ineffective in alleviating the same fear among elderly women. Using data from a nationally representative public survey (2015–2022), the findings of this study not only highlight the urgent need for society to be cognizant of the technological divide but also emphasize the pivotal role of education in quelling fears of new technologies among the elderly. Moreover, this study examines how the role of education effectively influences fear about AI in respect to different generations and that education exerts a significant influence and effectively eliminates fear of AI among the elderly, showing that the gap in AI adoption between younger and older generations can be narrowed by a higher level of education. By demonstrating the positive relationship between age and AI technology, academic researchers and policymakers should note that the elderly should not be left behind in this digital age. Learning about fear of new technologies among older adults is not just an issue of overcoming technophobia, it is a question of shaping a future in which technology is applied to the advantage of all generations equally.
Conclusion
In the 1950s, the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was introduced, setting off the first AI development climax. In the mid-to-late 20th century, the need for unbiased data was recognized as well. From the beginning of the 21st century to the present day, a revolution of information technology supported by AI is evolving which also provides new opportunities to deal with the challenges of the aging population. Several solutions are proposed in response to related issues. First, the application of AI can not only change the quality of life of the aging population but also help it to participate more in social activities. Second, AI can improve labour productivity by allocating labour resources making up for the impact of labour shortage caused by population aging. Businesses can use AI to analyse data and applications to better understand market demand and promote industrial innovation. AI technologies will also give rise to new industries and create jobs for job seekers of all skill levels. These technologies not only improve the educational quality through data analytics but also ensure the quality of healthcare services in remote areas through tele-health testing, supporting the demand that the allocation of resources is done in a fair way. As the aging of the population is becoming all the more prominent, issues related to welfare have received increasing attention. AI has the potential to improve the quality of life of the elderly through personalized services and to drive technological progress, promote economic growth, enhance social inclusion and promote the use of resources wisely to foster the overall development of the economy and society. Motivated by the desire to live longer, the elderly have a chance to participate in a development which has just started.