AI Agents

We all just want more effective help online. We want information, we need suggestions, even helping us with tasks by doing the work for us. Oh, and we would even like the advice to be timely and accurate!  Over the past few years, as people were exploring ChatGPT as an alternative to traditional search, other alternatives emerged. Actually multiple AI assistant alternatives emerged, forcing downward pressure on Google’s ad-based model, which makes up half of its revenue.  Businesses expecting to be found through Google search are seeing a decline in traffic. And that is likely related to lawsuits pertaining to its AI overviews, which eliminate the need to go further into links.

And just in time -- we are on the cusp of the utility of AI agents. Ironically, or maybe not so much, that improvement is inversely proportional to the diminished availability of people to solve our problems.  We see bits and pieces of the decline of people in processes we need.  Whether it is the sign-in kiosk in the healthcare waiting room, the check-in process at the airport, automated creation of pharmacy refill requests, or the customer service ‘interface’ that is now nearly all AI. And screaming ‘agent’ may still not bring the actual person to the phone. What’s positive and likely? [Information is drawn from interviews about “The Future of AI and Older Adults 2030.” Scheduled to be published in early January 2026]

Aging in place makes the senior living industry anxious.  A new article from Caring.com scopes out the cost differential between aging in place (in some states), replete with home modification requirements and related costs.  It identifies the 10 states where assisted living is actually cheaper than aging at home, with South Dakota as being the most reasonable by comparison to staying at home. Hmmm. Average temperature in South Dakota in February is, let’s say, too cold to go for a walk. But no worries, the median age in South Dakota is 38.5 and only 5% are aged 80+.  So it may be cheaper to age in place there, but virtually no one is doing it.

As interviews begin, ideas for the future of AI and older adults are emerging.  For the updated report, The Future of AI and Older Adults 2030, suggestions for the future are key to the conversation. As interviews are scheduled and completed, recommendations emerge. These ideas are sensibly building on what would be useful for older adults, coupled with what has already been delivered in the marketplace. For each of these ideas, the report will also consider the barriers that may hobble full adoption, including lack of awareness, training (both for the consumer side and professional), and acceptable cost.  But for now, imagine that by 2030:

The AI infrastructure juggernaut is on – consumers hesitate and deployment is cautious.   Parallel tracks are emerging. Investment by the big players in infrastructure (see Nvidia) is overwrought.  Even Oracle is jumping in with billions – as well as redirecting the company to be all-in on AI.  Today, 78% of companies say they are using AI in at least one business function. Meanwhile, back over in the real people corner, surveyed consumers continue to be surveyed and are cautious and concerned. Why the disconnect?  Mostly gloomy news coverage about AI.

The University of Michigan polled older adult responders – and the results are in. In a recent survey of more than 1000 adults aged 50+, the University of Michigan poll, fielded inside Michigan and nationwide, demonstrates that Artificial Intelligence technology is useful to older adults – and that they are not intimidated by it.  As with other studies, those with less education had somewhat less trust in AI-enabled information, and those with health disabilities also were somewhat less trusting of the information they found. (Source: July, 2025 University of Michigan AI Poll).