The Classes That Teach Older Adults About AI
The students — most with gray hair, some with walking sticks, all at least in their 60s — couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"Oh, my God," said a retired college professor.
"Does it come with viruses?" wondered one woman.
A 79-year-old in a black-and-white shirt then asked the question on many minds: "How do you know if it is fake or not?"
This is how older adults are learning about life with artificial intelligence (AI): taking a class.
Sitting in a classroom in Chicago, the students were learning about the latest — and possibly greatest — technological change in their lives.
And they are not alone. Across the US, many classes like this have begun to teach older people about the ways that AI can make their lives easier but also the dangers of the technology.
Older adults find themselves in an interesting position. AI can do a lot for them, but it also has drawbacks.
A number of studies have found that older adults are more susceptible to scams that use AI, and to believing the types of misinformation that the technology is supercharging.
Classes like these aim to familiarize people with the ways the technology could help them in their lives but also encourage skepticism about how AI can distort the truth.
Experts on the technology say that balanced skepticism is important for people who plan to use AI.
The teacher calls the class a "safe space" where people can come in and "discuss all the issues they may be hearing bits and pieces of."
People who have taken such classes said they came away with a clear understanding of the good and bad of AI.
However, not everyone liked what they learned. One of those who took a class said: "You really have to question it."
She said she wanted to understand AI, but decided: "It's not for me."
