Digital sovereignty with AI technology

Can artificial intelligence contribute to quality of life and if so, in what way? This question is being investigated by the City of Jena's senior citizens' office (sponsor: DRK) together with BAGSO - Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Seniorenorganisationen e.V. and 15 other local partners as part of the project "Promoting the digital sovereignty of older people with AI technologies".

The aim is to advise older people on how to use AI technologies, highlighting both the opportunities and risks. This will enable older users to decide with confidence whether and how they want to use AI-based technologies in their everyday lives.

In Thuringia, the senior citizens' office of the city of Jena was selected as a local partner as it has already gained a wealth of experience in the digital education of older people, including through smartphone consultation hours. The senior citizens' office has been equipped with AI-based technologies such as voice assistants and smart household appliances and has set up a "smart living room" for people to try out and test. Voice control can be used to automatically turn on music, close window blinds and dim lights, for example. In addition to intelligent robot vacuum cleaners and window cleaning robots, there are also smartwatches that have location functions, can measure heart signals and vital functions and can detect falls.

Volunteers are being sought and trained to pass on their knowledge and application skills to older people.

Advice is provided free of charge at the Senior Citizens' Office, which is based at the Jena Care Support Center in the Goethe Galerie. Appointments can be made by calling: 036 41 - 31 000 92 or kontakt@seniorenbuero-jena.de.