Most Seniors Are Worried About AI - Here’s What I Tell Them

I was finishing up my tech session with Debbie at her dining table.

She was a bright, warm and intelligent woman in her early 70s.

She had spent her career as an executive assistant to a member of parliament and had only recently retired in her late 60s.

So as we wrapped up, she looked up and asked me how she could keep learning about her laptop on her own.

To which I eagerly said,

“You know, why don’t you use ChatGPT and ask it questions?”

Debbie paused, looked at me and shuddered.

“Ugh, I dunno Gavin, AI scares me. Everything about it is just so… scary!”, she said.

“But have you actually used it?” I asked genuinely.

“Nooo…”

“Why not?”

“Because, honestly, I’m afraid it is going to steal all my information!”

And there it is.

90% of my senior clients say the same thing.

But what I’m really hearing them say is:

I’m afraid that this is something I don’t understand… and can’t control.

That it might take over something important, interfere with my life in ways I don’t see and that I might lose control without even realizing it.

So I’m just not going to use it.

I’m not going to talk to it.

I’m not going to deal with it.

That’s how I stay safe!

Does this sound familiar?

If it does, please know you are not alone - and this is not an unreasonable thing to feel.

When AI first emerged in the form of ChatGPT in late 2022, there was a lot of uncertainty around it.

News stories talked about it using people’s writing, art, and ideas without permission.

Some people imagined worst-case scenarios… losing control, things getting out of hand.

The unknown started to feel bigger than the actual reality.

But in reality…

With anything new, there is always an adjustment period.

A time where people need to slowly get familiar with a new way of seeing and understanding.

We’ve seen this before, it’s nothing new.

When new technology shows up, it feels uncomfortable or even threatening at first.

But over time, it eventually finds its place in our lives.

So how does this relate to you?

What we are really talking about here is not technology. It’s the feeling of being vulnerable… a little out of control.

To most people, AI feels like something very powerful. Something that can do things quickly and intelligently.

And that’s where the discomfort comes from.

Not because it’s dangerous…but because it’s unfamiliar.

So as my conversation continued with Debbie…

…I said to her:

“What if we just try it once… together?”

“Not to figure it all out. Not to trust it completely. Just a simple first interaction to see what happens.”

“Hmm, I think I can do that…”, she replied with a tentative smile.

So we opened ChatGPT on her laptop and I typed a simple introduction.

I told it that I was sitting with my client next to me.

That it was her first time using AI.

And that we wanted to explore it in a simple, easy way.

And within a few seconds, it responded.

I watched as Debbie leaned in, read the response… and paused.

“…oh.”

“That was not what I was expecting.”

We started asking a few simple questions.

She became curious about travel in retirement.

So we told it a bit about her background, her interests, and what she was hoping to do next.

Again, within seconds, it began offering ideas. Places to visit, ways to plan and things to consider.

And before we knew it, an honest conversation was happening and ideas were flowing.

At one point, I noticed something had shifted.

The worry and fear Debbie had at the beginning, it wasn’t there anymore.

Not because she fully understood AI, or that she suddenly trusted everything about it.

But because she saw, for herself, what it actually was.

There was nothing trying to control her, spy on her or take over anything.

It was simply responding when she asked.

And that was enough.

She had made a small shift, by taking a small step from fear to curiosity… into something new.

So, If you’re feeling unsure about AI…

You don’t need to force yourself into it.

You don’t need to understand everything and you definitely don’t need to trust it completely.

What you can do is try one small interaction.

Something as simple as:

“Hi… I’ve never used AI before. I’m a bit nervous. Can you explain what you are and how I can use you safely?”

That’s it.

And the most important thing to remember is this:

You are still in control.

You decide what to ask, what to share and when to close it.

If you’re ever curious and would like to explore this in person, you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

I often sit with clients and walk through this step by step, in a way that feels comfortable and easy.

My name is Gavin.

I’m a Tech Tutor for Seniors here in Victoria, BC.

Feel free to reach out if you’d like a hand getting started.

Click here to get in touch with me.

Cheers!