Artificial Intelligence & Internet of Things Helps Us As We Age

A few weeks ago, I attended a Wealth Management Presentation at a local venue in Wilmington, Delaware. After reading about the event in the local newspaper I immediately registered, not simply to learn more about managing my retirement funds, but because of the title “5 Ways Technology Will Change How You Age” which obviously peaked my interest.

As we know in today’s world, IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) are no longer acronyms of the future as they are becoming a part of our everyday language and daily conversations.

“Hey Alexa, what’s the weather?”

Artificial Intelligence once referred to only in Sci-Fi movies starring Will Smith is quickly becoming part of our everyday lives. Whether it’s a self-driving or self-stopping vehicle; tapping an app to order a ride from Lyft or Uber; booking a room with a host family on Airbnb or simply asking Alexa or Google to set a wake-up reminder or timer in the kitchen.

Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things like social media platforms are not a fad nor in the future, they are here to stay and they shouldn’t be feared yet instead, should be embraced.

As a Social Media Manager and Brand Ambassador, I have become accustomed to using Smartphone apps or Messenger to order food or book travel as well as to leave reviews and definitely when I need to quickly connect with a client. Most of us have a need for instant information and the ability to ask for it using a device in the palm of our hands has made life easier.

How many of you remember when you had to dial a number in order to hear the correct time of day from an operator’s voice recording?

Times have changed, however, many may feel that Artificial Intelligence and our reliance on technology and computers will totally replace the need for humans or will cause mass unemployment.

According to an article written by Andrew Charlton, Future work: why machines won’t generate mass unemployment “as machines take on physical and routine jobs across the economy, new jobs are being created in areas where humans have an advantage in thinking creatively, interacting with people and responding to emotions”.

Emotions and compassion are some things that machines will never be able to take over, just try by asking Alexa to tell you a joke – her intonation is so dry and boring, it’s hard to even laugh longer than a nanosecond.

The Wealth Management Seminar that I attended contained a lot of useful information for boomers and seniors who may have had initial fears of IoT or AI, however, by the end of the presentation most if not all looked forward to learning more. Eager to embrace the latest in technology or the newest gadget that will make their lives simpler and more enjoyable as they age. Personally, I can’t wait to get an iRobot Roomba!