Many older adults are encountering emerging artificial intelligence that can be both useful and confusing, especially in the workplace.<\/p>\n
The upstate New York senior population is working to understand and accept AI and not be intimidated by it.<\/p>\n
Longtime co-owner of Johnson Estate Winery,<\/a> Jennifer Johnson, 72, has the ChatGPT app on her cell phone, thanks to her daughter for putting it there.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd in the beginning, I didn’t really use it at all. I don’t rely on it a lot; I think I would say that I use it as an accessory,” said Jennifer.<\/p>\n She has since learned to embrace it, creating food and wine pairing menus for special events.<\/p>\n “It’s been a revelation. I think to understand how fast it is and what it can do,” said Jennifer.<\/p>\n “It’s useful around the edges,” said Fred Johnson, co-owner of Johnson Estate Winery.<\/p>\n Jennifer’s husband Fred has noticed an uptick in customers using internet searches from prospective visitors looking for AI to create stops along the wine trail.<\/p>\n “We are a ricochet beneficiary of artificial intelligence. It’s not like it’s going to run the plant, or do anything fancy; it’s just a helpful, useful thing. It’s just a useful tool, and you lean in to it, and you learn bits and use it for this and use it for that,” said Fred.<\/p>\n “It’s important not to make assumptions about older adults and technology,” said Randy Hoak, commissioner of the Erie County Department for the Aging<\/a>.<\/p>\n Erie County’s Department for the Aging encourages older adults to use AI as an aide for everyday tasks, support decision-making, navigate systems and find resources.<\/p>\n As for the workplace, leaders advise that they operate within their company-approved AI tools.<\/p>\n “The folks that remain curious, embracing that opportunity, will certainly benefit from the efficiency that AI can bring to their work. Where I see, where it could put people at a disadvantage is to completely ignore AI,” said Randy.<\/p>\n The office is offering an introductory course in AI through its University Express program for older adults.<\/p>\n