Key Details
The report examines how rapid population ageing and expanding AI adoption are reshaping access to health, finance, work and public services, arguing that inclusive AI requires age-responsive design, literacy, governance and public policy.
Key Area | Main Detail | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
Demographic transition | By 2050, one in six people globally will be aged 65 years or older. | AI systems must be designed for ageing societies rather than only younger users. |
AI adoption gap | AI use peaks among adults aged 30–44 but falls to only 8% among people aged 60 years and above. | Older persons remain significantly underrepresented in AI adoption. |
Gender divide | 31% of older women have never used AI compared with 20% of older men. | Highlights how age and gender combine to widen digital exclusion. |
Regional inequality | AI adoption is growing almost twice as fast in developed regions as in developing regions. | Countries with rapidly ageing populations risk falling further behind in AI-enabled services. |
AI literacy | Framework covers foundational knowledge, operational use, critical evaluation and ethical understanding. | Moves digital literacy beyond device use towards responsible AI engagement. |
Inclusive AI governance | Recommends representative datasets, accessible interfaces, community learning and human-centred AI deployment. | Helps reduce age, gender and geographic bias in AI systems. |
AI and Population Ageing Are Converging
The ITU report Artificial Intelligence and Ageing: Inclusive Pathways for Older Persons in a Digital World argues that population ageing and the growing integration of artificial intelligence are unfolding simultaneously, yet these trends are rarely addressed together in public policy.
As AI increasingly shapes health care, financial services, employment, education and public administration, the report argues that older persons should be viewed as active participants in AI-enabled societies. Designing AI primarily around younger, digitally confident users risks creating new forms of exclusion as populations continue to age.
Older Women Face Multiple Layers of Digital Exclusion
The report identifies older women as one of the groups most vulnerable to exclusion from the AI transition. Many experience overlapping disadvantages linked to age, gender, income, education, health, digital skills and geography, limiting both access to AI tools and the ability to benefit from AI-enabled services.
The report also highlights widening global disparities. While AI adoption is accelerating rapidly in advanced economies, developing regions often face weaker digital infrastructure, lower AI literacy and fewer opportunities to influence AI system design.
For countries such as India, this convergence has important implications as older citizens increasingly rely on Digital Public Infrastructure, digital payments, telemedicine and online public services.
AI Literacy Must Move Beyond Basic Digital Skills
According to the report, traditional digital literacy is no longer sufficient in an era of generative and agentic AI. Users increasingly require the ability to understand how AI works, use AI tools effectively, evaluate outputs critically and recognise risks relating to privacy, bias, misinformation and accountability.
To support this transition, the report proposes a four-part AI literacy framework covering foundational knowledge, operational use, critical evaluation and ethical understanding. It suggests these capabilities should become part of lifelong learning rather than being limited to formal education.
For India, the framework could inform AI literacy programmes delivered through Common Service Centres, senior citizen initiatives, self-help groups, libraries and local governance institutions.
AI Should Become Part of Ageing Policy
Rather than viewing AI solely as an assistive technology, the report argues that AI should be integrated into broader ageing policy. AI has the potential to support independent living, preventive healthcare, financial management, lifelong learning, employment, community participation and access to government services.
Achieving these outcomes, however, requires AI systems with accessible interfaces, multilingual communication, representative datasets and opportunities for human assistance. The report therefore recommends embedding age inclusion into AI strategies, product design and digital public services from the outset.
What is AI Literacy?
AI literacy refers to the ability to understand, use, evaluate and interact safely with artificial intelligence systems. It extends beyond operating digital devices to include recognising AI-generated content, assessing the reliability of outputs, understanding ethical implications and protecting privacy and personal data.
Policy Relevance
The report expands digital inclusion beyond internet connectivity by showing that meaningful participation in AI systems is becoming an essential component of ageing policy.
As India expands Digital Public Infrastructure and AI-enabled public services, age-inclusive design—including multilingual interfaces, voice-based interaction, assisted access and human support channels—will become increasingly important for equitable service delivery.
The proposed AI literacy framework provides a practical basis for integrating AI skills into senior citizen programmes, Common Service Centres, community learning initiatives and digital inclusion strategies.
Age- and gender-representative datasets should become a governance priority to reduce the risk of AI systems reinforcing existing biases in healthcare, finance, employment and welfare delivery.
India’s emerging AgeTech ecosystem presents opportunities to combine AI with healthcare, assisted living, financial inclusion and lifelong learning, supporting both healthy ageing and continued economic participation.
The report suggests that AI governance should increasingly be assessed not only by technological capability but also by who is able to participate, benefit and exercise agency within AI-enabled societies.
Related Reading: This report complements The Policy Edge’s earlier coverage of the OECD’s analysis of AI and ageing economies, extending the discussion from productivity and labour shortages to digital inclusion and participation.
Follow the Full Report Here: Artificial Intelligence and Ageing: Inclusive Pathways for Older Persons in a Digital World