According to a recent Gallup poll, nearly one-third of Americans are using generative AI tools on a regular basis like Chat GPT, Microsoft’s Copilot and Google’s Gemini.
A self-proclaimed technology enthusiast, Jennifer Erickson, 56, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, relies on AI to navigate the maze of medical decisions for her husband, Carl, a cancer survivor who is disabled. During each doctor’s appointment, Erickson takes meticulous notes, spanning test results, procedures, and follow-up instructions. Once home, she dictates the notes into ChatGPT to organize and synthesize the information. “I’ll ask it to separate the pros and cons of each treatment option,” she explains, “or to summarize the next steps and who’s responsible for what.” The result is a clear, structured summary she can review and share, transforming what used to be hours of mental sorting into a few streamlined minutes. “We might meet with nine different health care professionals over a few days at the Mayo Clinic,” she says. “AI helps me see what they all said, where they agree, and where there are differences.”
Roseman has turned to Gemini as a time-saver and problem-solving tool. “At 9:30 at night, when I finally have a minute to think, I can ask Gemini a question and get a clear, helpful answer without sifting through ads or endless links,” she explains.
“This can be especially valuable in crisis situations, when someone suddenly becomes a caregiver after a medical event or diagnosis and needs to ‘onboard’ themselves quickly without prior experience, ” says Etkin. “Instead of scrolling through dozens of articles and forums, these tools can summarize the most important points, explain next steps, suggest questions you might want to ask the medical team and point you toward credible resources in a fraction of the time.”
Experts like Etkin, Miller, and Wang see several ways that generative AI, which creates new content such as text, video, images, based on the data it has learned from, will assist caregivers in their daily lives, including:
Administrative assistant. AI can synthesize notetaking and organize by themes, action items and suggest next steps appointment scheduling and documentation, easing ongoing burdens among caregivers. For instance, voice-activated AI scribes like Fathom, Otter.AI, and Rev can automatically record observations for health care teams or take notes during doctors’ visits. In most states, you can legally record a conversation with your doctor if you’re part of it, but in about a dozen “two-party consent” states, including California, Florida, and Illinois, you must get everyone’s permission beforehand.
AI tools like Clara can help streamline meeting scheduling. It works by cc’ing Clara on an email thread when an appointment needs to be arranged. Clara takes over the conversation with the doctor’s office or whoever the appointment is with by confirming availability and setting the appointment time, as long as your online calendar is fully up to date.
Communication with health care team. AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini can synthesize health data, interpret trends and provide tailored recommendations for discussion with doctors and health care teams. “AI-generated information should never replace medical advice or a doctor’s recommendations,” reminds Wang.
Chronic disease management. AI can help monitor chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart failure by integrating data from wearables such as Apple Watch, Fitbit, or Omron HeartGuide. It can generate personalized daily checklists, diet plans and exercise routines based on individual preferences and health data.
Remote monitoring. AI-powered household robots combine home monitoring and advanced navigation to check on loved ones and send alerts if they detect unusual activity. Designed for convenience and privacy, these companion robots, including Amazon’s Astro, ElliQ, and Samsung Ballie, use generative AI for personalized advice to track health status and medication adherence. The Astro can be connected to a blood pressure monitor to keep track of readings.
Social support. Companion robots can also provide engagement, reminders, and social interaction for isolated or homebound care recipients. Using generative AI, these tools can learn an individual’s personality, sense of humor, and interests—creating more natural, engaging interactions that help reduce loneliness.
AI revolution is just beginning
For caregivers, information can be overwhelming, guidance scattered, and support hard to find. That’s true whether you’re a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, diabetes or cancer.