South Korea, which has the world's lowest birth rate, is experiencing an increase in elderly people living alone as nearly half of the population is now over 50 years old. Moreover, the phenomenon of "Lonely Deaths" – where isolated individuals pass away unnoticed by society – reached a record high in 2024, with over 3,920 cases reported. To address this serious social problem, local authorities are providing advanced AI robots to the elderly to offer companionship care.
Among these AI robots, the most popular is a child-like robot called Hyodol. Currently, there are nearly 14,500 units in use, including those provided by the government and deployed in nursing homes. This robot is equipped with ChatGPT technology, enabling it not only to have conversations but also to sing songs to keep the elderly entertained, remind them to eat meals and take medicine, monitor their sleep patterns, emotional states, and pain conditions, and transmit this information to social workers.
A 78-year-old grandmother, Bang Chun-ja, says that after undergoing spinal surgery and experiencing severe depression, she was able to overcome her loneliness thanks to this AI robot. Caregivers also confirm that these robots can significantly reduce depression in the elderly. However, there are also concerns that these technologies may cause family members to visit their parents less frequently and reduce face-to-face human interaction.
Ref: Bangkokpost
