How is an AI assistant for seniors different from Alexa or Google Assistant?

General AI assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant are made for everyone and for many kinds of tasks, like music, reminders and questions. An AI companion like Elsy is made for older adults: you talk with her in full sentences, and she helps with reminders and medicines, sends a short message to your family and writes down your life stories.

Alexa and Google Assistant can do a lot. Here's how an AI companion made for older adults, like Elsy, compares, and what the general assistants can do that Elsy can't.

What an assistant made for older adults does

An AI assistant like Elsy is built to make everyday life easier for older adults and to support their wellbeing. You set up reminders with your voice, which can make it easier to keep track of medicines and appointments. Elsy keeps track of when to take your medicines, for example, and when it's time, a reminder arrives on your phone. If you don't answer, the app asks again after about 5 and 15 minutes. That kind of structure can help you stay independent. Elsy is designed to be easy to use and to fit your needs, and that's worth looking for in any assistant made for older adults.

Reminders in your own words

With Elsy, you set up personal reminders by talking. Say, for example, "Remind me about the hairdresser on Wednesday at 1 p.m." The reminder arrives as a notification on your phone, and Elsy brings it up when you talk. That can take some of the stress out of the day. If you like, your family can also see how you're doing, depending on their level in Your circle.

What Alexa and Google Assistant do

Alexa and Google Assistant are general AI assistants, made for everyone. According to Google, you can use Google Assistant to ask questions, make calls, send texts, schedule reminders and get directions. Google has announced, though, that Gemini is replacing Google Assistant on most phones. Amazon's Alexa can play music, control things in your home and give you the weather forecast, among other things. Its newer version, Alexa+, is available in the US and Canada, and Amazon describes it as more conversational.

Elsy is made for older adults. You talk with her in full sentences, and she remembers what you've told her. If an assistant lacks features made for your kind of day, you may get less out of it.

Where general assistants can fall short

Google Assistant can set a reminder too. With Elsy, you can also answer a medicine reminder right in the notification: tap Taken, Skip or Remind me in 10 min, or just tell Elsy you've taken it. Beyond that, a general assistant may need you to say what you want as one short, clear command. Researchers who studied older adults talking with Amazon's Alexa point out that older people don't always give one clear command, and that their conversations may involve repeating, correcting and confirming along the way. That can make it harder to get much out of the technology day to day.

Staying in touch with your family

The US National Institute on Aging writes that staying connected with family, friends and neighbors through social activities is a great way to ward off isolation and loneliness, and that it may also help support your cognitive function.

Elsy can send a short one-way message to the family members in Your circle, like "Tell my son I'm doing well today," which can help keep the contact going. Elsy doesn't replace time with other people, but she can make it easier to stay in touch.

Sharing your life stories

You can also share your life stories with the people closest to you. When you tell Elsy about your life, she writes the story down after the conversation, with your own words as quotes and a picture painted by Elsy. You can read it or listen to Elsy tell it, and the story may include short excerpts of your own voice. Tap Send to family under the story to send it to the people in your circle. The stories can bring you and your family closer. Read more about life stories with Elsy.

Your family never sees transcripts or recordings of your conversations, apart from the life stories you send them, which contain your own words and may include short excerpts of your voice. What else they can see depends on their level in Your circle: Stories only, Safety net, Wellbeing, Care partner or Full trust, where they can also see what Elsy remembers about you. If a family member set Elsy up and gave consent on your behalf, everyone in your circle is at Full trust. See what your family can see, and read about Elsy for families.

Which one fits you?

Start by listing what you need help with. Elsy has features made for older adults, like reminders, life stories and the Daily question. A general assistant can do things Elsy can't, like playing music or controlling things in your home. And you can't type to Elsy. You talk with her only by voice. Compare your list with what each one offers. Here are some tips on how to choose an AI app you can trust.

What Elsy is built for

Elsy's help centers on your daily routine, your contact with your family and the story of your life. She remembers what you tell her, so you can pick up where you left off next time. And you can ask her about anything you're unsure of.

Elsy in your day

Elsy can give your day some structure, help you stay in touch with others and write down the stories of your life. The Daily question gives you something to think about, and a daily conversation can help keep your mind active. All of this can add to your wellbeing and help you manage more of the day yourself.

How to get started

Download Elsy from the App Store or Google Play, open the app and tap Talk to Elsy. Ask her whatever's on your mind today, and see what you think. You can try Elsy free for 3 days on your own phone. See how Elsy works step by step.

Frequently asked questions

What can Elsy do that general AI assistants can't?

Elsy is designed with older adults in mind. She remembers what you tell her from one conversation to the next, keeps track of your medicines, and writes down your life stories with your own words as quotes. General assistants, on the other hand, can do things Elsy can't, like playing music or controlling things in your home.

How can Elsy help me stay in touch with people?

Elsy can send short messages to your family when you ask her to, and you can send them your life stories. That can help keep the connection going. She doesn't replace time with other people, but she can make it easier to stay in touch.

What's the difference between an AI companion and a general AI assistant?

A general AI assistant is made for everyone and for many kinds of tasks, like answering questions, sending texts or controlling things in your home. An AI companion like Elsy is made for older adults and built around conversation: she remembers what you tell her, helps with reminders and medicines, and writes down your life stories. Read more about what an AI assistant is.

This is general information, not medical advice. Every situation is different, so talk to a doctor about yours.