Helping older adults use AI in everyday life

OpenAI and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP are hosting the Older Adults AI Skills Jam, a free, in-person program designed to help older adults use ChatGPT confidently and safely. The initiative addresses common challenges such as planning trips, understanding documents, spotting scams, and staying connected with family. Workshops are tailored to the needs of older adults, emphasizing practical applications of AI in daily life.

The Older Adults AI Skills Jam is part of a multi-year collaboration between OpenAI and OATS through the Senior Planet program. It aims to build practical AI skills while promoting online safety. Data indicates growing adoption among older adults, with the share of messages from users aged 55 and older increasing from 6% to nearly 10% in a year. The program includes guidance on identifying scams and using ChatGPT as an additional tool for verification.

Online safety is a core focus of the workshops, which teach older adults to recognize warning signs such as urgent language, secrecy, and suspicious links. Participants are encouraged to follow a simple rule: pause, think, and ask before acting. The program complements OpenAI’s broader efforts to prevent, detect, and disrupt fraud and scams, leveraging ChatGPT’s role in helping users evaluate suspicious messages and websites.

The Older Adults AI Skills Jam will take place in 10 communities across the U.S., in partnership with local organizations supporting older adults. OpenAI Academy’s broader mission is to make AI literacy practical and accessible, building on previous events with nonprofits, small businesses, and educators. Feedback from participants will help shape future learning resources to ensure AI benefits reach all age groups.