{"id":3277,"date":"2026-07-09T04:06:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T04:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3277"},"modified":"2026-07-09T04:06:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T04:06:00","slug":"bipartisan-bill-would-launch-federal-study-on-ai-and-older-americans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3277","title":{"rendered":"Bipartisan bill would launch federal study on AI and older Americans"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 Three U.S. senators, including Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., have introduced a bill that would direct federal research into how artificial intelligence tools are affecting older Americans and their caregivers.<\/p>\n

Read more Mobile home residents dying at higher rates in Arizona heat, data shows<\/a><\/p>\n

The bipartisan Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act would launch a federal study of the benefits and risks of AI. One in four older adults reports feeling isolated or lonely, and the legislation aims to examine whether AI could help address that and at what cost.<\/p>\n

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and cosponsor Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., are both members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. They were joined by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. The bill has drawn support from the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, AARP, the National Council on Aging, the Mental Health AI Policy Project, and the Alliance for Secure AI.<\/p>\n

What the bill would do<\/h2>\n

The legislation would direct the National Academies to study how older adults are using AI-enabled systems, including chatbots and voice assistants, and their effects on access to information, communication, and daily life. It would also examine potential benefits, such as support for caregivers and aging in place, alongside potential risks, including scams, fraud, financial exploitation, and overreliance on AI-generated advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI tools are increasingly becoming part of older Americans\u2019 daily lives, but we still don\u2019t fully understand its impact,\u201d Kelly said in a statement. \u201cThis bill will help us better assess both the opportunities and risks of AI so we can ensure these technologies support older people\u2019s independence, safety, and well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill directs the National Institute on Aging to conduct ongoing federal research and coordination on AI and aging, and requires reporting to Congress on findings, emerging trends, and future research needs. If passed, a federal report would be delivered within one year.<\/p>\n

AARP: Benefits and risks both need study<\/h2>\n

Megan O\u2019Reilly, vice president of government affairs at AARP, joined Generation AI this week to talk about the group\u2019s support of the legislation. She said older adults are already using AI and are curious about its potential, but questions remain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow it can help them live independently? How they can use it to help navigate their healthcare decisions and needs?\u201d O\u2019Reilly said. \u201cBut at the same time, there are questions about privacy and trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Reilly said AARP supports the bill because it examines both sides. \u201cBoth the risks and the benefits of AI for older adults,\u201d she said. \u201cHow AI can support older adults and also what are those protections and safeguards that are needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

AI companionship tools and social isolation<\/h2>\n

The bill specifically calls for studying outcomes related to AI companionship tools. One such product, ElliQ, is designed for seniors who may feel isolated. It conducts daily check-ins, proactive conversations, wellness reminders, and entertainment \u2014 all aimed at reducing loneliness.<\/p>\n

One woman who lives alone and has a medical condition said she speaks with ElliQ approximately five hours a day. Asked whether she would prefer to talk to a human, she said, \u201cWell, I\u2019d rather talk to a human being. But that\u2019s not possible for me except if I get on the phone. So I enjoy her better than my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Reilly said social isolation is a real challenge for older adults and that AI tools can serve a genuine need. But she said transparency is essential. <\/p>\n

Read more Tucson Police identify suspect in 1995 cold case<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThere needs to be transparency around how information is being stored, how it\u2019s being used, and that there are safeguards and protections for people as they interface with AI tools such as this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Scams, fraud, and data privacy<\/h2>\n

The bill explicitly calls for studying the potential risks and adverse outcomes associated with AI, including scams, fraud, and financial exploitation. <\/p>\n

O\u2019Reilly said AARP operates a fraud network and works daily to educate and protect consumers. She said existing protections may not be sufficient. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think we always need to be doing more,\u201d O\u2019Reilly said, adding that people should pause if something doesn\u2019t seem right and contact trusted sources directly, including calling 1-800-MEDICARE or a personal physician.<\/p>\n

On data privacy, O\u2019Reilly said AARP has advocated for strengthening HIPAA protections and called for universal consent standards that are written in plain language.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more we can not have people looking at multiple consent forms repeatedly every time they log in, and how we kind of centralize that in a way where it\u2019s easier to understand \u2014 that makes sense, and they know it helps empower them with that transparency,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Reilly said ensuring AI reaches all older adults \u2014 not just those who are tech-savvy or can afford new devices \u2014 starts with education and trust-building. She cited AARP\u2019s ongoing work to connect older adults with technology and help them understand how it can support independent living.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrust builds a little bit slower\u201d than technology grows, O\u2019Reilly said. \u201cAnd so I think we have a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? <\/i>Please click here to report it<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send <\/i>it to us here<\/i> with a brief description.<\/i><\/p>\n

Read more Affordable Care Act insurers are proposing another year of double-digit premium increases, analysis shows<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A bipartisan bill would study how AI could help older adults while exposing them to scams, privacy risks and overreliance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nBipartisan bill would launch federal study on AI and older Americans - Tucson Moving Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3277\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bipartisan bill would launch federal study on AI and older Americans - Tucson Moving Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A bipartisan bill would study how AI could help older adults while exposing them to scams, privacy risks and overreliance.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/tucsonmovingreport.com\/?p=3277\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tucson Moving Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-09T04:06:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/71841c7d449e6ab1ace6bce2f5277255\"},\"headline\":\"Bipartisan bill would launch federal study on AI and older Americans\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-09T04:06:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277\"},\"wordCount\":912,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/8079762b51db69d9c0f560c9508e931a.avif\",\"articleSection\":[\"Interesting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/tucsonmovingreport.com\\\/?p=3277\",\"name\":\"Bipartisan bill would launch federal study on AI and older Americans - 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