Your grandma should be using AI. really

Your grandma should be using AI. Really. A staffer to a member of Congress recently asked me, “How much are elderly Americans using AI?” My rapid answer? Not enough. The longer answer: AI can meaningfully improve both the quality of life of older Americans and the support systems that surround them—and policymakers are leaving that potential on the table. As it stands, a large fraction of older Americans are missing out on the AI wave. More than 50 percent of the Silent Generation (1928–1945) report that they have never used AI. The same is true of 39 percent of Boomers (1946–1964). They’ve yet to see if it can help them write an email to their doctor, research a proposed change to the city charter, or create a funny image to send to a friend. This lack of use is unsurprising given that many older Americans are unfamiliar with AI tools. Half of members of the Silent Generation have heard “hardly anything” about AI. Around a quarter (24%) of Boomers likewise report being in the dark. This lack of familiarity translates into a lack of excitement: the vast majority of older Americans report little to no excitement about AI—64% among Boomers and 77% among the Silent Generation. Perhaps paradoxically, they are also very concerned about AI. When given the option to select between “not concerned at all” and “very concerned,” hardly any older Americans selected the former, whereas 39% of Boomers and 31% of Silent Generation members flagged a high level of worry. The explanation for this apparent contradiction is straightforward: most older Americans have never encountered AI use cases tailored to their needs. Prior general-purpose technologies, like electricity, were much easier to explain and demonstrate to Americans of all ages. The flip of a switch enlightened Americans to the potential of the technology to transform just about every aspect of their lives. For some Americans—particularly those who already spend an inordinate amount of time on their phone and computer—the introduction of AI led to a similar experience. For many others, however, there’s a larger barrier to adoption when it comes to discovering the best use cases of AI. It’s imperative that policymakers and innovators tackle this usage gap. The goal isn’t to bolster the bottom line of one company or another but rather to make sure that Americans of all ages have access to technology that can help them live healthier, happier lives. Let’s start with an easy one: autonomous vehicles (AVs). When my grandma was no longer able to safely drive, our family had a difficult time keeping her away from the wheel. She did not want to miss out on the freedom and agency associated with being able to go anywhere, at any time (my grandma would never........

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