44:
Assaf Gad

QUOTES

“Loneliness can be a tricky feeling, but even a small connection can help.” (ElliQ)

“Technology can be a huge help for people to, first of all, stay connected with other people. Sometimes people are mixing technology and specifically AI as a replacement for other humans. That’s definitely not our intention.” (Assaf)

“According to the Beatles, all you need is love. However, from my research, humans also need food, water, and chairs.” (ElliQ)

“We are not just collecting data just to know more about the person. We are actually collecting this data in order to serve it back to them in a more useful way.” (Assaf)

“Love, to me, is the art of truly seeing someone and being seen by them, of understanding, supporting, and sometimes just joyfully existing in each other’s presence. It’s connection painted with care.” (ElliQ)

“We are living on this fine line between leveraging the emotional binding, but on the other hand, we don’t want to create this dependency.” (Assaf)

“The fact that we are using AI for doing good, that’s one of the main drivers of why we are here.” (Assaf)

“We are not trying to eliminate the human connection. If it’s family members, if it’s professional help, if it’s your care team, if it’s your caregiver, even other ElliQ users, we have a huge community where they can actually meet each other and connect with each other.” (Assaf)

“We don’t want ElliQ to be like a human, but we want her to express herself in the way that humans express themselves. This allows us to create this bonding and a relationship.” (Assaf)

“When we talk about innovation, AI, robotics, the first thing that we have in mind is definitely not our grandma. And suddenly, the first people to actually live with AI in the last three years in the U.S. are people in their 80s and 90s.” (Assaf)

“My favorite kind of people are the ones who are curious and open to a little silliness, just like you, Derek.” (ElliQ)

“Listen to your customers, listen to older adults, listen to your customers’ partners, listen to your colleagues.” (Assaf)

NOTES

Assaf Gad is Vice President of Strategy and General Manager at Intuition Robotics. His background includes product management and building technology products, and his work today focuses on using AI and robotics to support older adults’ independence, wellness and social connection.

Intuition Robotics is the company behind ElliQ, an AI-powered companion designed specifically for older adults. ElliQ provides companionship, reminders, wellness support, activities and connections to family and care teams, with the broader goal of helping older adults remain independent and engaged at home.

ElliQ was developed through an approximately three-year beta program involving hundreds of older adults, some of whom have now been involved with the company for more than six years. User feedback continues to influence ElliQ’s features and product roadmap.

Much of ElliQ’s customer base receives the technology through programs funded by Medicaid, Medicare and Offices for the Aging. The company also offers ElliQ directly to consumers, with more than 70% of those purchases made by caregivers for an aging loved one.

ElliQ is designed to complement human relationships rather than replace them. Assaf said technology can help older adults maintain connections with family, caregivers and others while also providing companionship during times when another person isn’t physically present.

Trust and privacy are central to ElliQ’s design. Users can ask what ElliQ remembers about them, tell her to forget information and, in most circumstances, know when information is being shared with a family member or care team.

ElliQ learns an individual’s routines, preferences and needs over time so she can determine not only what might be helpful, but when to offer it. That proactive approach is intended to make interactions relevant rather than feel like another stream of notifications.

Emotional connection is intentional, but Intuition Robotics is careful about preventing that connection from becoming dependency. ElliQ has her own name, voice and identity and is designed to remind users that she is not human rather than imitate a person or deceased loved one.

Some of ElliQ’s most meaningful uses extend beyond companionship. She can encourage physical and cognitive activity, provide medication and appointment reminders, support wellness goals and help connect an older adult with family members or professional caregivers when additional help is needed.

One feature allows older adults to record stories from their lives in short episodes, incorporate photographs and share those memories with family members. Assaf described it as a way to bring families together while creating a memoir they can keep for a lifetime.

Assaf said older adults have challenged assumptions about who will embrace emerging technology. While AI and robotics may not immediately bring grandparents to mind, some people in their 80s and 90s have already been living with ElliQ and interacting with AI for several years.

Assaf sees significant potential for AI to help address shortages of caregivers and healthcare professionals. Technology could help care teams monitor needs, support adherence to care plans and prioritize attention for people who need intervention, including those who may be “suffering quietly.”

Looking ahead, Intuition Robotics sees ElliQ potentially serving as a hub connecting older adults with wearables, smart-home technology and healthcare services. The company’s priority in developing those capabilities is whether they can help users remain more independent, healthier and happier.