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Robots that do not care about human life are one of the biggest fears for artificial intelligence’s opponents. Those that do may be the answer to rapidly ageing populations. Japan epitomises the problem better than anywhere; almost a third of people are now aged 65 or older. A shortfall of care workers is already pushing government funding into new robotics research. Generative AI may offer lower cost solutions.
Robots that assist seniors with walking, standing, rehabilitation and bathing are already in high demand. But senior care robots produced by companies such as heavy machinery group Yaskawa Electric remain too expensive to enter mainstream markets. Mass production would push prices down but the variety of tasks involved requires customised solutions, making this difficult.
Generative AI applications in healthcare could reduce care costs. Remote diagnosis can free up doctors and prevent uncomfortable travel for elderly patients. Analysts at Market.us think virtual nurses alone could save $20bn a year.
As demographics change across Asia more countries are seeking tech ways to address shortfalls in care provision. The number of seniors over the age of 60 in China is expected to go from 280mn in 2022 to 400mn by 2035, according to official data.
The country already faces a critical lack of care workers that exceeds 10mn people. Chinese company iFlytek has created a dedicated business for senior care robots. Search giant Baidu has started developing applications for senior care.
Wearable devices that can monitor vital signs and send alarms for medication reminders are one lower cost alternative to attentive care workers.
Generative AI could also be used to combat loneliness with elderly patients. Chatbots are already being used as companions for dementia suffers. Previous versions of speech therapy software used for human conversations has been ineffective in identifying voices and filtering out and differentiating background noises, making them prone to errors and far from lifelike. AI applications are helping to make conversations more lifelike.
Demand from China’s large ageing population coupled with advances in AI applications open a new niche. These demographic trends, once seen mostly to benefit robot makers, should open up new revenue opportunities for a wider range of sectors.
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