AgeTech

AgeTech is a niche market no more.  As we approach 2024 and the plethora of tech introductions from CES 2024, let's reflect. This past year underscored the demographic changes that have brought an aging population -- turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 per day -- into the sight lines of investors, startups and health providers. The very recent monumental investment that swept AI and media visibility underscored how AI could help older adults. And the shortage of labor in the care industries put a spotlight on the gaps in care that AI tech can help close.  No doubt 2024 will reveal more investment and innovation in tech for older adults.  All material is drawn from the websites of the companies.

What a week – chaos at OpenAI plus the rise of scam innovation. This weekend exposed a conflict at OpenAI, the November 22, 2022 bringer of ChatGPT, between the board that wants to develop AI for good and perhaps another view, AI for commercial profit.  Sam Altman the founder is fired, begs to come back and instead is offered a job and a team at Microsoft (the other big funder of OpenAI.) He agrees to go to Microsoft and 700 of OpenAI’s 750 employees threaten to quit.  Guess they weren’t big fans of AI for Good.  Microsoft, which committed as much as $10 billion over time for OpenAI, might think AI for Profit might be a better strategy.  Watch for the next installment of this very public soap opera.

Setting the stage for The Future of Care Work research.  Did you know that the number of workers per social security beneficiaries continues to shrink? That two-thirds of doctors and nurses are experiencing moderate or a great deal of burnout at work.  That over 85% of US adults suffer from one chronic illness.  That 33% of those aged 85+ have Alzheimer’s or dementia?  These points and more are the backdrop for the upcoming November report, The Future of AI and Care Work. Meanwhile, here are five points from September, 2023.

Older adults and caregivers are served by a number of offerings and events. And CES 2024 is still more than 3 months away.  Events are ahead like Aging 2.0 Optimize in September in Lousiville, LeadingAge’s Annual Meeting in November in Chicago, and the What’s Next Longevity Innovation Summit in December in Washington.  Each of these will no doubt feature startups of services and technologies, many incorporating AI) in multiple areas.   In the meantime, here are five recently announced innovations and services for the older adult marketplace worth checking out:

Social isolation has become an insidious problem among older adults. It’s at the point where the surgeon general recently declared it to be a serious health risk: "29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connection increases risk of premature death by more than 60%.  Certainly one factor is the growth in the number of older adults living alone, including 44% of women aged 75+.  Technology’s role in mitigating it is being studied in research programs and healthcare. In one study of studies, the authors concluded that while it seems apparent that it can be helpful, specific technologies were not studied separately.  In another pilot program, Talking Tech, participants were surveyed as being less lonely following increased technology literacy and access to tools to connect with others and boost social interactions. And in New York State, the rollout of AI companion robot ElliQ to 800 seniors reportedly resulted in a "95% reduction in loneliness."