Embracing AI in My Silver Years: A Retired Teacher’s Journey
Every time I turn around, I hear, see, or read something about AI—artificial intelligence. It’s everywhere, from business ads to chatbots, websites to news stories. There’s drama too, like Sam Altman’s decisions about Microsoft and now Elon Musk, and the Chinese startup DeepSeek causing havoc on Wall Street. Then there are numerous AI pioneers warning about the dangers of AI. But enough of the news and chatter! I’m diving into AI for purely selfish reasons: How can I benefit from AI in my silver years?
My Journey with AI
I am a retired schoolteacher. And when I say recently, I mean today was my last day! I have a passion for learning, sharing, and embracing innovative technologies. For ten years, I cared for my wheelchair-bound mother in my home, ensuring she spent her final years in comfort. I want the same for myself—I want to age in place. That caregiving experience taught me many things about the importance of health and mobility, security, and aid from others. My mission now is to be my own caregiver, incorporating everything I learned from my caregiving experience and using AI-powered technologies—from fitness tracking to robots and humanoids to self-driving cars.
Daily Routine with AI
I woke up this morning with mixed emotions about my last day of work. It is bittersweet; I will miss my colleagues and the many good friends I’ve made. I will miss my young, energetic, loving, albeit sometimes annoying students tremendously. But I am looking forward to the independence that retirement has to offer. I started my morning routine by asking Alexa to turn on the light and tell me about today’s weather. I jumped out of bed and started my exercises. I do a Latin dance video, which gets my blood flowing and my endorphins kicking. Before I started, I made sure to log it into my smartwatch fitness app. I enjoy tracking my progress, getting kudos for a job well done, and receiving reminders to keep going and achieve my goals. Alexa helps me stay motivated by sharing wellness and fitness tips for the day.
After my morning routine, it’s time to take my dog Chivi for a walk. Again, I give myself credit for my steps by logging my walk on my smartwatch fitness app. I put my earbuds on and select one of my favorite podcasts, and off we go. While walking, I remember that I need to pick up my medicine, so I tell Siri to remind me at 3:00 pm. Chivi gets a little rambunctious, so I yell out, “Chivi, stop running!” Siri interrupts my podcast to inform me she can’t do that! Well, nothing is perfect—Siri can’t tell the difference between Siri and Chivi! I use AI in some context every day. I write in my electronic journal, which gives me prompts to expand on my reflections. I enter checks into my checking account from the comfort of my home. I use Alexa and Siri all day long. And I’m sure I’m using a myriad of AI-powered technologies that I’m not even aware of.
Future of Going Silver with AI
This blog is dedicated to investigating and exploring artificial intelligence as it relates to aging. We will cover health and fitness monitoring and advancements, smart home devices, assistive technologies from voice assistants to roboticsThe field involving machines that can sense, move, and act in the physical world, sometimes using AI. More, transportation from GPS to self-driving cars and all new advances. We will also cover fun things to do like editing photography and creating images. My hope is that we all learn, understand, and benefit from AI and machine learning collaboratively. The comment section will be out form of communication.
List of terms
- robotics
