From June 19, Gyeonggi Province will launch the “Chat Friend Service for Seniors” through which a generative artificial intelligence like ChatGPT will call solitary seniors to ask how they are doing and, if required, connect them to welfare services.

The Chat Friend Service for Seniors incorporates generative artificial intelligence using large-scale language models (LLM), as seen in ChatGPT, into Gyeonggi Province’s policies. The province plans to provide the service in partnership with a domestic portal company.

Through this service, an artificial intelligence counselor calls senior citizens via their mobile phones once a week and engages them in a natural conversation. The calling number is displayed as the number designated by Gyeonggi Province; up to 3 calling attempts are made. After 3 unanswered calls, the related personnel will call directly. If there is still no answer, local administrative welfare center personnel will visit the residence to ascertain the situation.

Gyeonggi Province plans not only to make simple follow-up calls, but also to conduct direct phone consultations if seniors complain of emotional and/or economic difficulties, such as depression, loneliness or other signs of crisis, during a conversation. If necessary, seniors will be connected to the Gyeonggi Emergency Welfare Hotline for the provision of welfare services.

Gyeonggi Province will receive the first round of applications for 1,800 service recipient spaces from June 7 to June 16, and start full-fledged service provision from June 19. After that, seniors aged 65 or older who wish to receive the service will be able to apply via their local administrative welfare center at any time. Priority is given to seniors living alone, but those who do not live alone can also apply. Afterwards, the service will be provided through similar business duplication checks and related procedures, and the number of service targets will be continuously expanded.

Han Kyung-soo, Director of the Senior Welfare Division of Gyeonggi Province, said, “The Chat Friend Service for Seniors will relieve loneliness and depression, enhance emotional stability, and encourage a healthy lifestyle through healthy eating and exercise habits coupled with periodic care functions… Moving forward, Gyeonggi Province will continue to build a care safety network that can prevent crises in welfare blind spots and intervene in a timely manner.”