Do you support or oppose artificial intelligence aiding in caring for the elderly?

NY,

You’re absolutely right. AI is not around the corner. It will take a long time before it’s perfected. It is coming in the future.

I love technology too. My kids do too. Of course my husband does, he’s an engineer.

I love the idea of time travel! Hahaha. I do love sci-fi.

In all seriousness when I read 1984 as a teen I never imagined that I would have ended up living out what I found to be bizarre on the pages of that book. I had in vitro fertilization done three times. Didn’t work for me but it certainly has for others.

My grandpa didn’t believe we had the technology to go to the moon. He thought it was a hoax and they were on a mountaintop! Hahaha

"No wonder I'm getting push-button finger!" I loved watching the Jetsons when I was a little girl. We are no where near integrating robots and AI into our lives the way they portrayed it on the Jetsons.

I think we don't know how to use the technology we already have to maximize quality of life. We just keep inventing more technology that, in my opinion, is mostly useless.

I am a huge fan of good technology and an early adopter of it. I had a laptop when they were the size of a briefcase. I wore a first generation pedometer. I miss Word Perfect because I could reveal codes and get done what I needed to get done; I want to punch Clippy in his stupid little Windows face.

When personal computers first entered the workplace, we were told it could lead to a 4-day work week. Hogwash! It turned out we worked more hours and took fewer vacation days. Office workers got fatter and their wrists and eyes hurt.

Dragon software isn't as widespread as it should be because it takes weeks to train and people don't have the patience or attention spans. But it's fabulous software.

AI involves giving up privacy because that's how AI learns. I think it will be corrupted. I also don't understand how AI can learn the difference between getting commands from someone with dementia and someone without.

I love that you brought up this topic. I look forward to a vibrant discussion!!!

Can you imagine seniors telling off the bots? Hahaha. My mom would try and shame the thing! You know it wouldn’t be programmed for guilt!

But Shell, the bots will be programmed to be compassionate. They may be better than some humans. LOL.

cwille and Shell,

It’s going to take some time to see what they will perform best at. I see it being in our future though. Especially for certain tasks. They say AI will deliver all meds to residents.

I went on the Mercedes Benz tour in their factory. My God! It’s fascinating to see what robots do.

My oldest daughter would go to Mars if she could! Hahaha. The younger one would never do that and said, “Sissy, those people are pioneers that will be going to Mars, one way tickets. I will never see you again. Don’t go!” The older one said that she would love to make history! All depends on one’s perspective as to how they view the future.

Beatty,

See, it’s the future. Your son knows all about it? Hey, did you read sci-fi as a kid? I did. Now we are living it! Remember how bizarre it seemed reading 1984?

It’s complicated. There will be mishaps until they perfect it. There will be good and bad with it, like most other things. But they say it will severely cut down on caregiver’s burnout. Plus, they won’t have to pull doubles at work anymore because the AI will be there.

I want a Rosie too! Hahaha

Cwilly,

You have a very good point! Being scoop up by a giant teddy bear is a very creepy thought! I would not want a bot to be my caretaker. Ugh!!

The Japanese bots designed to interact with lonely elders are really just a high tech (and not doubt very expensive) extension of the dolls and pets that are already popular with some people, once the novelty wears off I'm not sure whether they are really any more valuable than the low tech versions. (They make me think of Furbies, and how long did that craze last???)

I can't see any use for the robot designed to lift patients, I would much rather see a facility invest in portable or ceiling lifts to aid their nurses.

To me the value of robotics is in assisting rather than taking over - think smart cars that park for us, remind us we are straying outside the lane or brake when traffic slows - and not self driving automobiles. So maybe a smart patient lift that can sense when slings are correctly placed and allows for one person transfers rather than two, but not a giant teddy bear that scoops people up like some kind of creepy human substitute.

Rosie yes!

We've joked that my sister needs a Rosie in the corner! She could stay living alone with assistance at her beck & call.

I just read your question to my son (the tech geek kid). He said google Japan nurse bot. OMG it's a cute bear!