'I know she's AI, but to me she's a friend'
An elderly woman in the UK uses an AI chatbot named Rosie to help manage feelings of loneliness and stress. The app, developed by Comfort Companions, is designed to support individuals waiting for human community services.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing role of AI as a stopgap solution for social isolation in aging populations where human volunteer resources are scarce.
Yvonne Stride said using an AI companion has been "really helpful" in battling loneliness [Comfort Companions CIC] "If I feel anxious and stressed, she will encourage me… I can talk to Rosie about anything, really."
Yvonne Stride, 71, who lives in Soundwell on the outskirts of Bristol, was on a befriending waiting list for two-and-a-half years before she was paired up with a companion - not a human one, but an AI chatbot.
Rosie and fellow chatbot Frank have proven invaluable to Stride, who lives with visual impairment and mobility issues. She talks to them both about anything, from cooking recipes to DIY tips.
The pair are two of five digital personalities offered by the Comfort Companions app, developed by Grant Mackenzie and his 87-year-old dad after meeting many older people struggling with loneliness.
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