AI courses aim to help elderly with daily life

When 68-year-old Yang Huaigui began planning his summer trip to the coastal city of Qingdao, he didn't consult a travel agent or flip through a guidebook. Instead, he opened an artificial intelligence app.

"By inputting travel days, health conditions and personal preferences, AI can generate a comprehensive travel itinerary with just one click," Yang said. "It even accommodates my habits, like early sleep and pre-bedtime foot soaks."

Yang is part of a rapidly growing group of seniors in China who are turning away from traditional retirement pastimes like calligraphy and tai chi, turning toward cutting-edge technology. From urban community centers to university campuses, a wave of artificial intelligence education is sweeping through the elderly population.

In Shanxi province, five universities for senior citizens and numerous community centers have launched AI courses, including the Seniors University of Shanxi, Taiyuan Seniors University and Changzhi Seniors University.

"Based on the characteristics of information technology courses and the cognitive patterns of seniors, we've designed AI courses around the practical needs of our students," said Shi Huiling, vice-president of the Seniors University of Shanxi in the provincial capital, Taiyuan.

Besides traditional courses, the university has added new courses on AI-assisted aging and creative production, offering experiential classes to lower learning barriers.

Outstanding students are selected as "silver-haired teaching assistants" to conduct community outreach and help more seniors master AI, Shi said.

Shi added that while AI can bring convenience to seniors, it also poses risks such as privacy breaches and online scams.