The Choice Isn’t AI or People — It’s AI or Silence

In this episode of aiGED, Ginny Deerin takes on a topic that can feel unsettling at first: AI companions.Are they unnecessary? A poor substitute for family? Or could they be something else entirely?Ginny looks at the reality facing millions of older adults — including social isolation, solo aging, and long hours spent alone — and asks a harder question: for many people, is the choice really between AI and a loved one… or between AI and silence?Along the way, Ginny also explores:how AI is quietly improving weather forecasting during winter storms,why voice mode in ChatGPT sometimes works beautifully and sometimes doesn’t,and how switching between the app and the browser can make AI more usable (and less frustrating).She wraps up with practical recommendations, including why exploring GPTs inside ChatGPT can be one of the easiest ways to make AI genuinely helpful in everyday life.Thoughtful, honest, and grounded in real experience, this episode invites listeners to replace judgment with curiosity — and to consider how AI-powered tools might support connection, creativity, and comfort when human connection isn’t always available.aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd