Abstract

Seniors, the world's growing population, encounter challenges of digital exclusion from social and civic engagement. While the recent advancement of AI and AI-enabled technologies brings unique challenges and opportunities of smart ageing, how seniors use AI technologies and what support they seek remains unknown. This study explores seniors’ perceptions and experiences with AI through a qualitative investigation of seniors in New Zealand. They face challenges of low confidence, fear of misuse, and limited understanding of AI systems, which can deepen feelings of dependency and digital exclusion. Grounded in activity theory, this research emphasises the importance of active learning and a support network in promoting digital inclusion of seniors. The preliminary findings from this research-in-progress offer valuable insights for future research directions to design inclusive AI literacy programs to improve seniors’ quality of life and bridge the digital divide.

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