South Korea Deploys AI Companions to Fight Elder Loneliness
Naver's AI tools are making care calls to elderly citizens living alone in the world's fastest aging society.
South Korea is turning to artificial intelligence to tackle one of its most pressing demographic crises. In the world's fastest aging society, tools like Naver's Talking Buddy and SuperBrain are being deployed to check in on elderly adults living alone.
The AI systems make automated care calls, help detect emergencies, and work to slow cognitive decline — essentially serving as digital companions for seniors who might otherwise go days without human-like interaction.
It's a pragmatic response to a brutal math problem. South Korea's elderly population is growing fast while the support infrastructure struggles to keep pace. Rather than waiting for a fix that involves more humans, the country is betting that conversational AI can bridge the gap.
The tools also target dementia prevention, engaging users in exercises designed to keep their minds active. Not a replacement for human care — but a stopgap that scales.