NYSOFA's Rollout of AI Companion Robot ElliQ Shows 95% Reduction in Loneliness

ALBANY, N.Y., Aug. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and Intuition Robotics today announced a continuation of their unique partnership and new data showing the efficacy in providing AI companionship to older adults in New York State, including a 95% reduction in loneliness and high levels of engagement. Over the past year, NYSOFA has partnered with Intuition Robotics in a pilot to bring ElliQ – the first-ever proactive and empathetic AI companion – to more than 800 New Yorkers in an effort to combat loneliness, foster engagement, improve overall health and wellness, and support aging-in-place. Loneliness has long been a concern for older adults, but the COVID-19 pandemic greatly exacerbated the issue, as the U.S. Surgeon General recently stressed in a highly publicized advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation.

According to data reports from the NYSOFA pilot, AI companion ElliQ has achieved a 95% reduction in loneliness and great improvement in well-being among older adults using the platform. ElliQ users throughout New York have also demonstrated exceptionally high levels of engagement consistently over time, interacting with their ElliQ over 30 times per day, 6 days a week. More than 75% of these interactions are related to improving the older adults' social, physical and mental well-being.

In one example, Lucinda, an older adult in Harlem, participates in four activities with ElliQ per day on average, including stress reduction exercises twice daily and a cognitive game every day. She also works out with ElliQ once a week. To learn more about these and other outcomes, see the data report at this link.

ElliQ is proactive and personalized: it initiates conversation, suggests activities, and remembers what users tell it. ElliQ encourages and works with users to set and help achieve goals. It is designed to convey empathy to create trust and drive engagement and behavior change.

Over the past year, Intuition Robotics has added unique features to keep seniors active, connected and engaged, such as: ElliQ taking users to museum exhibits and road trips, painting with ElliQ using generative AI, mindfulness exercises led by a certified mindfulness instructor, recording life memories in a digital memoir and sharing them with family and friends, and the ability for the NYSOFA staff to send informational video messages about available resources.

"We had high hopes for the efficacy of ElliQ, but the results that we're seeing are truly exceeding our expectations," said Greg Olsen, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging. "The data speaks for itself, and the stories that we're hearing from case managers and clients around the state have been nothing short of unbelievable. To see the impact this technology is making on the lives of our community members is incredibly moving and we can't wait to see this program continue to grow."

"It has been evident over the course of our pilot program that ElliQ enriches and improves the lives of the older adults we serve," said Becky Preve, Executive Director of the Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY). "The pandemic encouraged us to open our eyes and think of innovative ways to deliver care to our clients. Partnering with an AI platform like ElliQ fits our strategy perfectly and I'm looking forward to getting ElliQ devices into the homes of many more older New Yorkers."

"It has been a pleasure to work alongside local offices for the aging and partners to identify older adults who would most benefit from empathetic AI," said Dor Skuler, CEO and Co-Founder of Intuition Robotics. "ElliQ can't make an impact on individuals until it has been invited into the home, and the case managers and staff on the ground have been integral in educating older adults about ElliQ, supporting installations, and facilitating introductions between our team and the clients directly. We're excited to continue our work with NYSOFA and other aging agencies to increase the number of aging adults we can help."

About the New York State Office for the Aging
NYSOFA continuously works to help the state's 4.6 million older adults be as independent as possible for as long as possible through advocacy, development and delivery of person-centered, consumer-oriented, and cost-effective policies, programs, and services that support and empower older adults and their families, in partnership with the network of public and private organizations that serve them. Stay connected—visit the NYSOFA Facebook page; follow @NYSAGING on Twitter and NYSAging on Instagram; or visit aging.ny.gov.