Beyond WhatsApp: From health queries to birthday wishes, seniors discover the uses of AI

At the age when many tend to pop tablets, two pensioners are smiling at a tablet of a different kind — a lit-up electronic notebook held by a young boy, presumably their grandson. This AI-generated WhatsApp display picture belongs to Mulund-based Umesh Prabhu whose new mission is written in bold on the image: “AI after 60.”At 75, the retired mechanical engineer boasts 25 AI apps on his phone — all synced to his tablet so he can see them on a larger screen. Every month, he spends nearly Rs 20,000 on large language models that not only fast-track his photo-aided birthday wishes to fellow septuagenarians but also help him demystify AI for roomfuls of silvers. In just 15 days since he launched his website — whose tagline promises its silver-haired audience “No coding. No fear” — over 160 seniors have bought his three-part workbook series, which uses QR codes with illustrations to teach older adults to harness AI for everything from planning trips to launching second acts. One lesson begins with a reassurance: “If you can send a WhatsApp message, you are already ready to understand — and use — Artificial Intelligence.”As if pushing back against their boomer tag, a small but growing group of senior citizens across Mumbai are leaning towards AI for reasons that have little to do with coding or careers. While much public conversation around artificial intelligence revolves around students, software engineers and fears of job displacement, some veterans are discovering the many everyday uses of AI for uploading health reports, pursuing hobbies, stay mentally engaged and create second acts after leaving the workforce. “AI is lightning fast but a retired professor, lawyer, factory manager or HR executive possesses something AI does not: decades of judgement. Together, they can be a very powerful combination,” says Prabhu.A few days ago, a message popped up on the WhatsApp account of the 66-year-old former textile firm employee Hitesh Bhagat. “Meta AI checked in on me,” he says with a laugh. His relationship with AI began last year when he uploaded medical reports and began asking questions about sleep apnea and cholesterol. What followed was a two-hour conversation. One suggestion was to try a memory foam pillow. Alongside a doctor-prescribed mouthpiece, Bhagat says the recommendation helped. “I sleep better,” he says.A hobby singer, Bhagat also asks ChatGPT questions about music. One recent query involved whether legendary singer Hemant Kumar had pronounced particular Marathi phonetic sounds correctly in a song. “The explanation was so detailed,” he recalls, astonished to learn that the Bengali singer did indeed pronounce correctly. “It gave me answers in a second. AI will definitely take our jobs if it goes beyond this level. But it’s a great tool for seniors as of now if you know what you are seeking,” he says, sending photos of himself in a leather jacket flashing a rockstar sign under strobe lights.For some seniors, AI has begun slipping into everyday family decisions too. “Suggest good date for baby’s haircut depending upon his birthdate and time (21/04/2024 1.34 am)” — 67-year-old Malati Balagi asked Gemini recently while deciding an auspicious day for her grandson’s mundan. She was promptly asked to consult an astrologer. “She even asks for recipes on voice chat and corrects the app for getting it wrong,” laughs her son Ravi, an AI researcher.For 75-year-old Prakash Nayak, the appeal lies elsewhere. An active member of several senior citizens’ associations, he uses ChatGPT and image-generation tools to create personalised birthday greetings that place grey-haired friends in unexpected avatars. “Not all the results are suitable for senior citizens,” he says dryly, having censored a few “bold” ones for more elegant alternatives. But his wife remains unconvinced. “Most senior citizens aren’t interested or tend to fear it. Only about 10 per cent use AI in my view. Many stop digital learning with how to send a video on WhatsApp,” says Nayak.International surveys suggest he may not be entirely wrong. A recent EY study of more than 2,500 adults aged 60–85 across 16 countries found that only about one in four reported being familiar or confident with AI — though just 15 per cent had no interest in learning more.Yet among those willing to experiment, the uses run deeper than greetings and family queries. Chunabhatti-based Prakash Apte, 72 — a yoga teacher and business owner who recently studied gerontology at TISS — learnt AI on AI. When he had a heart attack a few months ago, ChatGPT decoded the doctor’s handwriting for him. “The doctor doesn’t always have the time to answer all our questions,” says Apte, who has since uploaded his prescriptions into an LLM. Gerontechnologists warn that users must be careful with hallucinations when cross-referencing critical medical dosages.Back in his Thane office, Prabhu is matter-of-fact about the risks. “It may be that the fault was in your prompt. Some verification on your part may be needed,” he says. His VJTI alumni circle are turning 75 this year, so he has decided to fashion personalised digital greetings “by having fun with AI.” He already has a free module called “Money Saver” — about using AI to save on everyday essentials like medicines — and an annexure on wills.By now, his teacup is empty. We ask him to pose for a photo. His office assistant opens Claude on the laptop. “Welcome, Mr Prabhu,” it says.