Age-Friendly AI: First Phase Update

It’s been a rewarding first phase of Age-Friendly AI, and we’re excited to share some highlights of what we’ve been doing since the project launched back in March 2025.

About Age-Friendly AI: This project brings older adults into the conversation about artificial intelligence, ensuring their voices, experiences and concerns shape an AI training programme.

What We’ve Done So Far

From March to August 2025, we’ve been connecting with people all over Ireland. We’ve held 20 different events, from our big launch (link) to regional discussion workshops (link to news page). We’ve also had the chance to speak at national and international events, making sure the importance of this work is heard far and wide.

A huge part of the project is the public discussion workshops where we work directly with older adults. We’ve hosted these in Kerry, Dublin, Galway and Thurles, and over 250 people have discussed AI with us. We’ve greatly valued hearing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns about AI-driven technology, products, and services.

What Participants Are Saying

After these workshops, we asked people what they thought, and the feedback was great! Almost 95% of participants said they would recommend the workshop to a friend. Here are some of the things people have said:

  • Very well presented and in plain language.”
  • “I have more understanding of how AI is used in my daily life.”
  • “The group discussion was very enabling.”

People also told us that they’d love more time for hands-on activities. We’re taking all of the feedback on board as we plan for the future.

What Are People Talking About in the Workshops?

In our workshops, we’ve had some fantastic discussions. People are really interested in the potential benefits of AI, especially in healthcare. Many of our participants have shared how they already use technology powered by AI (e.g. fitness trackers, smartwatches) to monitor their own health or the health of loved ones, and to empower them to live at home longer (e.g. by using voice assistants, smart home technologies).

At the same time, we’re also hearing some very important questions and concerns. People want to know who they can trust with their personal information and are worried about misinformation and disinformation. They also have questions about the security and privacy of their data.

These are really important topics, and we’re committed to bringing these to the forefront of the conversation about AI in Ireland.

Share Your Thoughts about AI – FREEPOST Campaign

We’re excited to announce a FREEPOST postcard campaign across Ireland, giving you an easy way to share your thoughts about AI.

Starting in September, you’ll find Age-Friendly AI postcards in local libraries across Ireland. Simply fill one out with your thoughts, questions, or concerns, and pop it in the post box—no stamp needed. It’s that easy!

You can also share your thoughts on our online form: https://agefriendlyai.ie/share-your-thoughts/.

Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard about AI.

What’s Next?

We’re just getting started! The positive response from our first phase shows us how important and needed this work is.

Upcoming Regional Events: We have several regional discussion workshops coming up across Ireland. Whether you’re curious about AI, have ideas to share, or just want to listen and learn, we’d love for you to join us. No prior experience with AI is needed—just bring your questions and experiences.

Find out more and register for tickets here: https://agefriendlyai.ie/events/

Stay Connected:

Your voice matters in shaping how AI develops in Ireland. We look forward to continuing these important conversations with you.

Recent Findings

If you’d like to read more about the ongoing research into Age-Friendly AI, these are some of our recent publications.

The project was published at the PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments (PETRA) conference. You can read more about that here: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3733155.3733217

Kelly, P., Clarke, E., Parmar, M., Powell, D., Lynch, M., Ormonde, S., Colton, K., O’Meara, F., O’Sullivan, D. and Berry, D., 2025, June. Design and Development of an Interactive AI Toolkit for Engaging Older Adults in AI Discussions. In Proceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments (pp. 285-291).

Kelly, P. et al. (2025). Age-Friendly AI: Ireland’s National Artificial Intelligence Literacy Initiative. In: Mavrou, K., Encarnação, P. (eds) Technology for Inclusion and Participation for All: Recent Achievements and Future Directions. AAATE 2025. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01632-4_15