I was there, and at 25, I was one of the youngest in the audience.Opinions, of course, varied. Some spoke positively about the new frontier of technology that could help care for older people. Others weren't sure that a robot companion or smart home sensors would do anything other than isolate older people from their families and neighbors.

In nearly every panel I attended, tech sparked debate. How should age tech be integrated in rural communities? What should AI governance look like?

Can caregivers benefit from tech?Not every session was dominated by AI. Social connection, belonging, equity, and justice came up again and again. Attendees brainstormed how to foster intergenerational connections.

Many wanted to combat ageism, achieve better mental health outcomes, and work toward more equitable health solutions. Here are some of my main takeaways. We want to speak with older people in the US who use advanced tech, or younger people helping older loved ones with tech.

Share your story by filling out this quick form. Older adults want to use AI and technologyMany panelists spoke about tech access and age tech.Noah SheidlowerIn every time block, there was at least one session that directly addressed age tech, AI, wearables, and innovation. A recurring theme among the panels was that older people want to use AI, but many don't know what options are available.

AARP has found that tech use has surged among older people in the US in recent years, with 90% owning a smartphone and 30% using AI. While many are still hesitant about using new tech, plenty are interested but don't yet know how to apply the tech to their lives.Many panels, such as "Bridging the Gap: Addressing Ageism in Age Tech," highlighted gaps in AI training data that are often skewed by stereotypes, surveillance concerns, and designs driven by what developers sometimes incorrectly think older people want.Panelists across the conference argued that age-inclusive design should integrate autonomy, flexibility, and an accurate assessment of older people's needs.

For instance, some robotics technology, like ElliQ, was developed with insights from older people, such as serving as a companion that encourages human interaction.AI is helping older people in often invisible waysThe On Aging conference stressed tech solutions for older adults.Noah SheidlowerIn addition to working on tech adoption, the conference also focused on creative AI solutions for older people.In sessions like "Beyond the Panic Button," researchers highlighted the prevalence of AI-powered predictive analytics in reshaping care. Some startups have begun using predictive tech to flag risks before an emergency occurs.

As Chia-Lin Simmons, CEO of medical alert devices company LogicMark, said, most tech is built around "waiting for something to go wrong, then responding."For instance, one of the sessions highlighted how age-tech innovators are using AI for early detection of Alzheimer's, which is expected to affect 13 million people by 2050 — most of whom are diagnosed too late to take action. Misfolded proteins, a signature of the disease, can show up 20 years before symptoms emerge, and certain speech features can predict Alzheimer's up to 15 years before diagnosis. Companies are developing AI to detect early warning signs, helping older people get ahead of a diagnosis.A few sessions focused on assistive technology like wearables, AI solutions such as fraud detection, automated medicine boxes for older adults, and tech solutions for rural people in the US without broadband access.We are in a caregiving crisisMany of the panels touched on caregiving.Noah SheidlowerMany panels, including the opening session, highlighted how the US is in a caregiving crisis — and has been for some time.

AARP found that 63 million people in the US serve as family caregivers, nearly 48 million of whom are unpaid. In a recent national caregiving survey, 61% of respondents said their work lives were affected by caregiving responsibilities. Two-thirds of caregivers regularly help with health management, errands, and personal care.

Just one in five have training for more complex caregiving tasks like changing a breathing tube.Many panelists stressed that the caregiving crisis needs more attention. Many jobs don't offer employees with caregiving duties benefits and work