What kinds of digital helpers can you talk to for quick answers?

Digital helpers you can talk or type to include chatbots, smart speakers like Google Home and AI companions like Elsy. Elsy is made for older adults: you can talk with her about anything, she answers the small questions that come up during the day, reminds you about appointments and medicines, and writes down the stories of your life.

Some digital helpers are big AI services built for everyone. Others are made for older adults, like the AI companion Elsy, who also helps with your medicines and with staying in touch with other people.

What is a digital helper?

A digital helper is often an AI assistant made to help with everyday life. It can be a device you control by voice, an app on your phone or a service on the internet. You can ask it questions and set reminders, and with Elsy you can also get help with daily tasks and have the stories of your life written down.

Types of digital helpers

The digital helpers you can talk or type to include chatbots, smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo, and AI companions like Elsy. Chatbots are often used for customer service, while an AI companion made for older adults offers a more personal conversation and helps you organize your day.

What can digital helpers do day to day?

A digital helper can become part of your daily routine: it can remind you about appointments, look up the weather and answer questions quickly. With Elsy, you can also talk about anything at all, the way you would with a person.

Elsy, an AI companion for older adults

Elsy reminds you about appointments and medicines, and she writes down your life stories with your own words as quotes, so you can send a story to your family whenever you like. She's someone to talk to when no one else is around, and she can help you keep some structure in your day.

What are the benefits?

A digital helper can give you information quickly, help you keep track of your daily routines and give you conversation that can help keep your mind active. Elsy can add company and routine to your day, which can be good for your well-being.

Doing more on your own

With help for your daily routines and for staying in touch with others, a digital helper like Elsy can make it easier to manage more of your day on your own.

What are the downsides?

There are downsides, too, such as privacy concerns and technology that can be hard to get started with. Many older adults haven't tried AI yet: fewer than one in four Americans aged 65 and older use AI chatbots, compared with about half of all adults, according to Pew Research Center. So it matters to choose a helper that takes care of your data and is easy to use. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre warns that AI tools can get things wrong and present incorrect statements as facts, so double-check important answers. And follow Age UK's advice: never give an AI your passwords or your bank account number.

What about privacy?

With Elsy, conversations are recorded and stored securely so she can remember, 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. Your data is never sold and isn't used to train general AI models. Your family never sees transcripts or recordings of your conversations, but a life story you send them contains your own words and can include short excerpts of your voice. What else they can see depends on their level in Your circle. The lowest level, Stories only, shows only the stories you send. The highest, Full trust, also shows what Elsy remembers about you. If a family member set Elsy up and consented on your behalf, everyone in your circle is at Full trust. You can read the details in Elsy's privacy policy.

How do you choose the right digital helper?

When you choose a digital helper, think about what it can do, how it looks after your data and how easy it is to use. Look for one that adapts to you. Elsy is made for older adults and brings reminders, life stories and conversation together in one app.

Finding one that fits you

Choose a digital helper that fits your needs. Elsy remembers what you tell her, and you can teach her words, like a word in your local dialect or how to pronounce a name. Elsy can be a good fit for older adults who want help organizing the day and staying in touch with others.

How to get started

Download Elsy from the App Store or Google Play, open the app and tap Talk to Elsy. Ask her a small question, for example "What can I make for dinner with potatoes and leeks?" You can try Elsy free for 3 days on your own phone. See how Elsy works step by step.

Frequently asked questions

What is a digital helper?

A digital helper is an app or a device, often with AI, that helps you with daily tasks, gives you information and can talk with you or answer what you type. Elsy is one you talk to: there's no text chat.

How can Elsy help me day to day?

Elsy can keep track of your appointments and your medicines, write down the stories of your life so you can send them to your family, and be someone to talk to during the day.

Is my data safe with Elsy?

Elsy stores your conversations securely, 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 and answer, and your data is never sold. Your family never sees transcripts or recordings of your conversations, but a life story you send them contains your own words and can include short excerpts of your voice. What else they can see depends on their level in Your circle, up to Full trust. At that level they also see what Elsy remembers about you.

What kinds of digital helpers are there?

There are many kinds, including chatbots, smart speakers and AI companions like Elsy, who is made for older adults.

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