Summary The growing use of AI-powered companions highlights the potential role of artificial intelligence in elderly care
(Web Desk) - For 78-year-old Bang Chun-ja, who lives alone in a small apartment in South Korea, companionship comes not from family or friends but from an artificial intelligence-powered doll that resembles a real child.
The AI doll serves as more than just a toy. It can hold conversations, sing songs, remind users to take medication and eat meals, and offer emotional comfort through affectionate interactions. Such devices are increasingly being developed to support elderly people living alone or those with limited contact with family members.
Bang says she prefers the company of the AI companion to that of many people, citing years of personal hardship that deepened her sense of isolation. Her life has been marked by divorce, the challenges of single parenthood, physical ailments, and post-surgery depression.
According to experts, emotional wounds and difficult life experiences can sometimes make a consistently available and non-judgmental digital companion feel more comforting than human relationships.
However, specialists caution that while AI companions can help reduce loneliness and provide emotional support, they cannot fully replace genuine human connections. Experts emphasize that the most effective approach is to use such technology as a supplement to, rather than a substitute for, relationships with family, friends, and the wider community.
For Bang, the AI doll has become a source of hope and companionship. She says spending time with it helps ease feelings of loneliness, sadness, and anxiety.
The growing use of AI-powered companions highlights the potential role of artificial intelligence in elderly care and mental health support, particularly as societies around the world grapple with aging populations and increasing social isolation.
