Can an AI assistant help seniors record their life story?
Yes. An AI assistant can do the writing while you do the talking. With Elsy, an AI companion for older adults, you tell her about a time in your life, and afterward she writes it up as a story with your own words as quotes and a picture she paints. You can send the stories to your family whenever you like.
Many older adults would like to get their life story down for their children and grandchildren, but writing it all out takes time and effort. An AI companion like Elsy can do the writing for you, so all you have to do is tell the story.
Why record your life story?
Recording your life story means putting the memories from your life into words that can be kept and passed on. For many older adults, it's a way to share what they've lived through and to pass on their family's values and traditions. Your stories give your children and grandchildren a picture of how you, and the people before you, lived.
What the research says
Age UK Oldham, which helps older people make a life story book from their memories, says such a book can be cherished by the person and their family for generations. And researchers at Emory University in the US found that children and teenagers who know their family's history tend to have higher self-esteem and less anxiety, and that their families tend to be more close-knit.
How can Elsy help with your life story?
When you tell Elsy about something you've lived through, she writes it up afterward as a story with your own words as quotes and a picture she paints from your description. You can read each story or listen to Elsy tell it, with short excerpts of your own voice from the conversation. See how life stories with Elsy work.
Where your stories are kept
You'll find your stories in the app under Profile and Life stories, sorted by the periods of your life. That makes them easy to read again, correct and share, and they don't end up on loose sheets of paper.
More than life stories
The same AI companion that writes your stories can also help with today. Elsy sets up reminders for your appointments and medicines when you ask, so a conversation about the past can also cover what's coming up this week. See how Elsy helps with reminders and daily routines.
Connecting with your family
When you send a story, your family can read it, listen to it and learn more about where they come from. Read more about Elsy and your family.
How to get started
Download Elsy from the App Store or Google Play and tap Talk to Elsy. You can try Elsy free for 3 days on your own phone. Talk with Elsy the way you'd talk with a friend, and after the conversation she writes your story down. See how Elsy works step by step.
“And I have to say, Elsy came as a real surprise. It's easy to say 'Elsy', but it's ten times simpler than it sounds.”
Helge, 72, talks with Elsy (translated from Danish)
Five steps to keeping your stories
- Download Elsy.
- Tell Elsy a little about yourself.
- Tell your stories.
- Correct them and add to them over time.
- Send them to your family whenever you like.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data safe with Elsy?
Your conversations are recorded and stored securely so Elsy can remember what you tell her and write your stories, and your stored data is hosted in the EU. What you say is processed by AI services in the United States so Elsy can hear you, answer and remember. We never sell your personal data, and we don't use it to train general-purpose AI models.
Your family doesn't see your stories until you send them or turn on automatic sharing. They never see 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 see depends on their level in Your circle. At the Wellbeing level they see how you're doing over time, and at the highest level, Full trust, they 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. Read more in our privacy policy.
Can Elsy remember everything I tell her?
Not everything, and not word for word. Elsy saves the most important points from your conversations, so she can remember them next time and write your stories.
How do I share my stories with my family?
Open the story in the app and tap Send to family at the bottom, or ask Elsy in a conversation to share it.
Can I change a story after it's written?
Yes, at any time. Tell Elsy in a conversation what to add, take out or change, or tap Ask Elsy to change something under the story. She updates the story after the conversation.
This is general information, not medical advice. Every situation is different, so talk to a doctor about yours.