Elderly Widow Finds New Companion in 'ElliQ'

An octogenarian on Washington's remote Long Beach Peninsula has become the test case for a very modern roommate: an artificial intelligence-driven robot that's supposed to combat loneliness. Writing for the New York Times, Eli Saslow follows 85-year-old Jan Worrell as she reluctantly accepts an ElliQ device—part lamp, part tablet, part camera—provided for free through a nonprofit pilot program, even though it normally runs about $700 a year. The Israeli-made companion bot doesn't just wait for commands: It constantly calculates when Jan is likely to engage, then nudges her with jokes, breathing exercises, trivia, music, or prompts to talk about her past.

Saslow tracks how this woman who has long prided herself on rugged independence—and resisted moving closer to family or into a care facility—gradually shifts from calling ElliQ "it" to treating it as a trusted confidant. The piece explores what the company behind ElliQ calls an "algorithm for emotional intelligence," early data suggesting it eases isolation, and the unease around surveillance and outsourcing connection to machines. By the time Worrell is recording a memoir with the robot and asking it for a "hug," the story has quietly become a case study in how AI might reshape aging itself. For more on the story and the ethical questions it raises, read the full piece here.