Is Talking To AI Better Than Being Alone?

Can AI help lonely people? Can AI companions replace human connection? Are AI companions safe for older people?

It sounds dystopian. But for someone who is lonely, awake at 2am and has nobody to call, an AI companion could provide something surprisingly valuable: someone to listen.

Grant MacKenzie is the founder of Comfort Companions CIC, a non-profit he created with his dad to provide AI-powered voice conversations for older people experiencing loneliness.

After working with Age UK South Gloucestershire, Grant has seen first-hand how long people can wait for human companionship and believes AI can help fill the quiet gaps without replacing human connection.

But where do we draw the line?

Grant's answer is nuanced: The value isn't necessarily being known. It's being heard.

The service has been trialled with Age UK South Gloucestershire, and Grant explains what they've learned about loneliness, human connection and the surprising value of simply having someone, or something, there to listen.

Find a link to Comfort Companions here: www.comfortcompanions.org.uk

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