Key Takeaways
- Three U.S. senators – Mark Kelly (D‑AZ), Rick Scott (R‑FL), and Roger Marshall (R‑KS) – introduced the bipartisan Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act to study how AI tools affect older Americans and their caregivers.
- The bill directs the National Academies to examine AI’s benefits (e.g., reducing loneliness, supporting caregivers, enabling aging‑in‑place) and risks (scams, fraud, financial exploitation, over‑reliance on AI advice, privacy concerns).
- It also charges the National Institute on Aging with ongoing federal research coordination and requires a report to Congress within one year of enactment.
- Major aging and health organizations – AARP, the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, the National Council on Aging, the Mental Health AI Policy Project, and the Alliance for Secure AI – have voiced support for the legislation.
- AARP’s Megan O’Reilly emphasized the need for transparency, strong data‑privacy safeguards, and universal consent standards written in plain language to protect older users.
- Real‑world examples such as the AI companion ElliQ illustrate both the promise of AI‑driven social interaction and the ongoing preference for human contact when possible.
Legislative Background and Sponsors
Sen. Mark Kelly, D‑AZ, together with Sen. Rick Scott, R‑FL, and Sen. Roger Marshall, R‑KS, unveiled the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act, a bipartisan measure aimed at launching a federal study of AI’s impact on older adults. All three senators serve on the Senate Special Committee on Aging, giving the bill a natural home within the committee’s oversight purview. Kelly framed the initiative as a necessary step to “better assess both the opportunities and risks of AI so we can ensure these technologies support older people’s independence, safety, and well‑being.”
What the Bill Would Do
The legislation tasks the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine with conducting a comprehensive study of how older adults use AI‑enabled systems—including chatbots, voice assistants, and companion robots—and the effects on access to information, communication, and daily life. The study must weigh potential benefits, such as caregiver support and aging‑in‑place assistance, against risks like scams, fraud, financial exploitation, and overreliance on AI‑generated advice. Additionally, the bill directs the National Institute on Aging to establish ongoing federal research coordination on AI and aging and to deliver a report to Congress within one year, outlining findings, emerging trends, and future research needs.
Support from Leading Organizations
The bill has garnered endorsements from a broad coalition of aging, health, and technology policy groups. AARP, the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, the National Council on Aging, the Mental Health AI Policy Project, and the Alliance for Secure AI all voiced support. Megan O’Reilly, AARP’s vice president of government affairs, highlighted the organization’s rationale: “Both the risks and the benefits of AI for older adults … How AI can support older adults and also what are those protections and safeguards that are needed.” This bipartisan backing underscores a shared recognition that AI’s role in senior care warrants careful, evidence‑based examination.
Examining AI Companionship and Social Isolation
A focal point of the bill is the study of AI companionship tools designed to alleviate loneliness—a condition affecting roughly one in four older adults. The legislation cites ElliQ, an AI‑driven companion robot that performs daily check‑ins, proactive conversation, wellness reminders, and entertainment. One ElliQ user who lives alone and manages a medical condition reported speaking with the device “approximately five hours a day.” When asked whether she would prefer human interaction, she replied, “Well, I’d rather talk to a human being. But that’s not possible for me except if I get on the phone. So I enjoy her better than my daughter.” O’Reilly acknowledged the genuine need such tools fill but stressed that “there needs to be transparency around how information is being stored, how it’s being used, and that there are safeguards and protections for people as they interface with AI tools such as this.”
Addressing Scams, Fraud, and Data Privacy
Beyond companionship, the bill explicitly calls for investigating the darker side of AI adoption among seniors: scams, fraud, financial exploitation, and privacy breaches. O’Reilly noted that AARP operates a fraud network and continuously educates older consumers about emerging threats. She cautioned that existing protections may fall short, urging individuals to “pause if something doesn’t seem right and contact trusted sources directly, including calling 1‑800‑MEDICARE or a personal physician.” On data privacy, she advocated for strengthening HIPAA protections and implementing universal consent standards written in plain language, explaining, “The more we can not have people looking at multiple consent forms repeatedly every time they log in, and how we kind of centralize that in a way where it’s easier to understand — that makes sense, and they know it helps empower them with that transparency.”
Ensuring Equitable Access and Building Trust
O’Reilly also emphasized that AI’s benefits must reach all older adults, not just those who are tech‑savvy or can afford the latest devices. She pointed to AARP’s ongoing initiatives to connect seniors with technology and help them understand how AI can support independent living. “Trust builds a little bit slower” than technology grows, she observed, adding that “we have a lot of work to do” to bridge the gap between innovation and the confidence of older users. This sentiment aligns with the bill’s mandate to study both the advantages and pitfalls of AI while recommending safeguards that promote equitable, secure adoption.
Conclusion and Next Steps
If enacted, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act would produce a federally funded, evidence‑based assessment of how AI shapes the lives of older Americans within a year. The findings would inform policymakers, industry developers, and advocacy groups seeking to harness AI’s potential to combat loneliness, aid caregivers, and enable aging‑in‑place while mitigating risks such as fraud, exploitation, and erosion of privacy. As Sen. Kelly succinctly put it, the legislation aims to ensure that AI “supports older people’s independence, safety, and well‑being”—a goal that will require rigorous study, transparent practices, and sustained trust‑building across the aging population.
https://www.kold.com/2026/07/09/bipartisan-bill-would-launch-federal-study-ai-older-americans/