ADAPT Radio: Older Adults Need AI Confidence
Older adults risk being left behind as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in everyday services, according to this month’s ADAPT Radio experts.
Paula Kelly, lecturer at Technological University Dublin and lead of the Age-Friendly AI initiative, said AI literacy is now central to independence and online safety: “AI literacy is really the difference between shaping the future and being shaped by it”.
The programme highlights how many public and digital services already rely on AI systems, often without users realising it. Researchers warn that limited understanding can expose older adults to privacy risks, online scams, and difficult-to-navigate technologies.
Hosted by Dr Claire O’Connell, the episode features Kelly and fellow TU Dublin lecturer Michael Core discussing insights gathered from thousands of engagements with older people across Ireland. Participants expressed strong interest in technologies that support independent living, alongside concerns about security and complex digital interfaces.