Intelligent Aging
AI’s Role in Supporting NYC’s Seniors
Team Ubuntu: Ritu Pant, Joannah Varghese, Silvia Castro
TEAM UBUNTU
2025
EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT STUDIO
How might we increase digital confidence among seniors by empowering them through accessible and meaningful use of AI?
Around 66% of older adult above 65 years do not know much or don't know anything about AI.
In the US, only 16% of those 65 or over will try out new technology, compared to 40% of those under that age.
TEAM UBUNTU
EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT STUDIO
2025
Our Process
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Opportunity Framing
Concept Definition
Solution Refinement
Through interviews, fly-onthe-wall observations, and workshops, we identified our opportunity.
With the collaboration of 10 seniors, we co-developed an initial concept that responded directly to their needs.
Based on feedback from seniors in New York City, we made several iterations to refine and improve the concept.
P PPY
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 1
AI FOR SENIORS:
A Look at Today’s AI Tools for Older Adults
Remote monitoring technology
AI-integrated wearable vests and undergarments
Chatbots and Caregivers Apps
Smart Home detection Devices
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 1
CONNECTING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS
SENIOR CENTERS
CAREGIVERS
CASE WORKERS
We reached out to 17 different senior centers to request space for observing and engaging with older adults.
We interviewed five caregivers, including both local and longdistance caregivers
We interviewed two case workers who work at senior centers.
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 1
FIRST DISCOVERY
DISCOVERY WORKSHOP
We worked with 10 seniors to understand their daily challenges
OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
“I commute over 1.5hrs once a week to be a part of this community center” ~Ritchie
INITIAL INTERVIEWS
Seniors usually ask for external help to understand tech
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 1
“I wanna know more about AI, how do I download it?” ~Joyce
Key Insights:
Seniors hesitate to troubleshoot tech issues independently, preferring external help.
Superficial understanding of AI lead many to confuse AI with apps
Seniors shown overall curiosity to learn more about AI
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 2
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
TRUST
EASY TO USE
BRINGS JOY
Build experiences that foster reliability, security, and confidence in every interaction.
Design that focuses on simplicity, ensuring seamless and intuitive user experiences.
Curate to bring positive “moments” that evokes joy during the experience.
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 2
IDEATION PROCESS
Phase 1:
Internal concept exploration
We used a drawing board and visual facilitation tools to guide the ideation
As a team with diverse backgrounds, we were able to ensure a wide range of perspectives
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 2
IDEATION PROCESS
Phase 2:
Co-designing with 10 seniors
We developed a plan to determine the number of workshops needed to co-design with seniors
We designed four workshops: the first focused on understanding their daily challenges, the next two on ideation, and the final one on testing.
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 2
Workshop #2
DISSECTING THE PERSONALITY
Building your own assistant
“My assistant is Blackie, my dog” ~Christina
Trust is build when the assistant feels personal, relatable and emotionally safe
Help them with daily tasks, such as identifying what’s wrong with a plant.
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 2
Workshop #3
FIRST AI INTERACTION
Identifying use cases and boundaries Visual aids accompanying explanations helps them
better understand and visualize information.
Looking in AI an assistant that feels like a member of the family and helps them be engage
Step-by-step instructions without skipping basics.
TEAM UBUNTU
PHASE 2
Workshop #3
KEY USE CASES Discover new ways to deepen their hobbies: Learning how to document a garden through photos.
Transcript,Transcribe,Translate: Features that can capture conversations, or summarize information.
Issues related to phone,technology: Step-by-step guidance to help them understand any tech issues.
Medical and Legal help but with constraints: Basic support with health and legal queries, but always follow up by redirecting them to a qualified professionals.
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PHASE 3
Workshop #4
EXPLORING FAMILIAR INTERFACES The interfaces they are most familiar with are YouTube and WhatsApp Is key to balance accessibility with trust
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PHASE 3
Workshop #4
GETTING TO KNOW BUDDY
A custom GPT
Learnings from our final prototype: A clear need for visual support supported by both voice and text integration An unpredictable response style Navigating phone-related tasks are still not accurate
Today’s seniors are curious, capable, and active — but the way information is accessed and learned has changed dramatically.
The traditional "how-to" — paper manuals, in-person demonstrations — no longer fits the reality of a digital-first world.
TEAM UBUNTU
FINAL CONCEPT
P PPY
An AI task oriented multimodal conversational assistant co-designed with seniors
Keeping them active & engage
Helps them with daily tasks
Gives digital confidence
P PPY
An AI task oriented multimodal conversational assistant co-designed with seniors
Helps them stay them
active & engaged
Assists daily tasks & reminders
Builds digital confidence
TEAM UBUNTU
FINAL CONCEPT
Onboarding
Personal Touch from the Start: Users begin by naming their assistant and selecting a voice and image, making the experience feel warm and familiar.
Step-by-Step Guidance: The onboarding flows in small, manageable steps — no long forms or tech jargon, just one simple choice at a time.
TEAM UBUNTU
FINAL CONCEPT
Use Case: Poppy as an Assistant for a hobby Simple, Visual Interface: Designed to look and feel familiar, with large buttons, clear prompts, and minimal clutter — so users can focus on their hobby, not the tech.
Context-Aware Support: Poppy listens and learns — offering guidance based on the user’s past questions and progress
Beyond Words: Suggestions are paired with helpful visuals — like photos, diagrams, or short videos — making it easier to understand and act with confidence.
TEAM UBUNTU
FINAL CONCEPT
Future Use Case: Healthcare queries Reassurance Over Alarm: Poppy offers calm, non-urgent language when responding to health concerns, designed to reduce panic, especially in moments of uncertainty. Guidance, Not Diagnosis: Instead of pretending to have all the answers, Poppy gently redirects users to medical professionals when appropriate, reinforcing trust and responsibility. Curated, Next-Step Actions: Users are given 2–3 easy-to-understand options (like watching a video or logging data), keeping choices clear and doable Continuity Through History: A categorized history of questions creates a record users can refer back to or share with caregivers, making it easier to track patterns over time.
TEAM UBUNTU
Thank you!