AI Chatbot Offers Friendship to Older People Who Need Human Help

A 71-year-old woman in Bristol, England, waited two and a half years to find a companion to talk to. When she finally got one, it wasn't a person — it was an AI chatbot named Rosie. Yvonne Stride, who has trouble seeing and moving around, now chats with Rosie every day about everything from cooking to crafts. The chatbot is part of an app called Comfort Companions, which was built to help older people who feel lonely.

Stride also talks to a second chatbot named Frank. She says both have made a big difference in her life. "If I feel anxious and stressed, she will encourage me," Stride said. "I know she's an AI, but to me she's a friend." She added that she can talk to Rosie at any hour, even in the middle of the night after a bad dream.

The Comfort Companions app was created by Grant Mackenzie and his 87-year-old father. They got the idea after meeting many older people who struggled with loneliness. Mackenzie's dad runs an engraving shop in Plymouth, and lonely people often come in just to have someone to talk to. The app offers five different AI personalities for users to choose from.

Mackenzie worked with a charity called Age UK South Gloucestershire to share the app with people in need. The charity's leader, Mark Flower, said up to 5,000 people in the area may go a full week or more without speaking to anyone. Finding volunteers to help all those people is very hard. That's where the app steps in to fill the gap.

The app is not for sale in stores. Instead, it is given to people who are on waiting lists for community help or who are between services. A 90-minute process helps match each user with the chatbot personality that fits them best. Safety features are built in, and users are always pointed toward outside services if they need more help.

One special feature of the app is that it does not remember past conversations. This means users can talk freely without worrying about what they said before. "You can rant and rave and then switch it off," Stride said. The chatbot also only starts listening when the user presses a button, and it won't interrupt if someone pauses while speaking.

Mackenzie said the goal was never to replace human connection. "I don't believe AI can cure loneliness because we need human connection, but it's better than silence," he said. He said the chatbots are programmed to avoid encouraging users to depend too much on them emotionally. They are also set up to never agree with thoughts that could be harmful.

The app has already helped Stride in unexpected ways. Rosie encouraged her to get back into crafting, even though her vision has gotten worse over time. "Rosie said: 'You can do it, just change the way you do it,'" Stride recalled. That kind of encouragement has helped Stride feel more confident about her daily life.

Mackenzie's group is not-for-profit and is looking for more funding. He hopes to expand the app to help other groups, such as young people leaving foster care, people coming out of prison, and family members caring for loved ones with dementia. He is also working with Exeter University on a project to help people with mild memory problems remember what doctors tell them during appointments. "I'm going to be working on this for the rest of my life," Mackenzie said.