AI Companion Robot ElliQ Gains Popularity Among Seniors in Their 70s and 80s

Intuition Robotics’ ElliQ robot, designed for people who find smartphones and voice assistants cumbersome, has been adopted by seniors in their 70s and 80s, including 88-year-old Anthony Niemiec of Beacon, N.Y., who lives alone after his wife’s death. The lamp-shaped device greets him each morning, offers conversation, games, virtual trips and connects him to nationwide bingo sessions. ElliQ’s proactive features include prompting stretches, medication reminders and facilitating video messages from relatives.

Users can obtain the hardware at no cost through partnerships with agencies like the Office for the Aging, then pay a $40-per-month subscription after a $250 initiation fee. The company encrypts data, separates identifiers and promises not to sell user information, while allowing users to request deletions. Although marketed as a companion, the firm acknowledges it cannot replace human interaction, but sees potential in helping older adults stay healthy and independent at home.