Fake Friends For Life

It is not uncommon for people to look fondly on their AI devices. "Alexa is my friend," says one senior. It is nice to have a friendly AI there to talk to, and to have it play music, tell you a joke, adjust your lights and room temperature and, in Lawrence's case, set the alarm clock. Today, more groups and organizations are studying the potential of interacting with Alexa as an intervention for loneliness in the elderly. For example, AARP Foundation has a program for "Social Connectedness Voice-activated Technology", which has a goal of determining whether technology of this type can help older adults fight isolation and loneliness.