Deng Mingxing (back), director of the Rainbow Bay Senior Welfare Institute in Shanghai's Hongkou district, introduces artificial intelligence to a resident on Feb 26. [Photo/Xinhua]

Adapting to new technologies has ability to embolden and empower older adults

On a crisp early spring afternoon, 89-year-old Teng Quanda held his smartphone and asked it — "Little whale, will my stocks rise again?" — causing the room to erupt with laughter.

This scene is not uncommon at Teng's nursing home in Shanghai, where over 20 silver-haired "students" regularly gather to learn how to use the popular artificial intelligence model, DeepSeek.

"They call it 'little whale' after the app's icon," explained Deng Mingxing, the nursing home's director. "Once they learned how to use it, they bombarded it with loads of health-related questions. Some even joked about living to 150 with the help of AI."

Across China, such interactions highlight seniors' growing acceptance of AI. From health consultations to stock market analysis, they are treating AI as both adviser and companion, seeking assistance in filtering scams, designing wellness plans, or simply enjoying the company of chatty "digital grandchildren".

Smart technology is also playing an indispensable role in addressing challenges in elderly care, with more than 310 million people, or 22 percent of China's population, aged 60 and above as of last year.