Good morning future-focused leaders.

A few weeks ago, I shared how excited I was to discover that NotebookLM could turn documents into podcasts. Now, it’s even better—Audio Overviews can translate your (English) documents or training materials into podcast-style summaries in over 50 languages! Imagine the potential for our diverse workforce: faster access, better understanding, and fewer barriers to getting the right info.

What else we cover this week:

• Robots improve staff retention in Japanese aged care

• Hardi Aged Care trials AI-integrated monitoring in NSW

• Trust in AI remains low across Australia

• AI matches doctors in virtual care diagnosis

• Adelaide: AI workshop for aged care managers next week

• And more...

^{LATEST DEVELOPMENTS}

READY TO USE TODAY 

🈺 You can now turn documents into training podcasts — in over 50 languages

In brief: Google has expanded its Audio Overviews (in NotebookLM) to support over 50 languages, enabling aged care trainers and professionals to create accessible, podcast-style content for multilingual teams.

The details:

• NotebookLM's Audio Overviews feature transforms documents into conversational audio summaries.

• These overviews now support more than 50 languages, from Hindi to Afrikaans.

• Language preferences can be changed at any time, with both chat and audio responses updating instantly.

• Ideal for aged care training: a facilitator could upload policy documents, case studies, or guidelines and generate audio summaries in each staff member’s native language.

• I tried it by uploading English language training materials about dementia into a podcast in Greek, and it works a treat!

Why it matters: Most of our teams are linguistically diverse, and miscommunication can directly impact the quality of care. This tool helps break down language barriers, support professional development, and ensure that essential training materials are accessible to all staff — regardless of their primary language.

ON THE HORIZON

🇯🇵 Robots in nursing homes boost staff retention

In brief: A recent study from the University of Notre Dame finds that using robots in nursing homes correlates with higher employee retention and better quality of care.

The details:

• The study, Robots and Labor in Nursing Homes, examined robot use across 265 Japanese aged care facilities from 2020 to 2022.

• Three types of robots were studied:

  • Transfer robots: help staff lift and move residents.

  • Mobility robots: assist residents with daily physical activities.

  • Monitoring & communication robots: bed sensors and devices to aid communication.

• Facilities using these technologies reported:

  • Reduced staff quit rates, especially among part-time workers.

  • Higher overall employee retention.

  • Decrease in use of physical restraints and pressure ulcers in residents.

Why it matters: With Australia facing similar workforce and demographic challenges as Japan, this research offers valuable insights. By reducing physical strain and improving workflow, robots could enhance job satisfaction and help retain aged care workers. That’s a win for both care providers and residents, especially as demand for long-term care continues to rise.

^{QUICK HITS}

🎥 Rethinking how we work with AI – Stanford’s Jeremy Utley urges us to stop treating AI like a fancier Google. Instead, what if it helped us think better? From flipping the Q&A dynamic to embracing AI as a thought partner, Utley offers a refreshing take on using AI to expand our imagination. Big thanks to Jess for sharing this gem!

📊 Australia lags on AI trust, but not all is lost – A new global report from the University of Melbourne and KPMG surveyed over 48,000 people across 47 countries. Australia placed near the bottom for AI knowledge, training, trust, and belief in its benefits. But there is hope, as Australians show strong trust in universities and health institutions to guide AI’s development—offering a solid foundation to build from.

🩺 Study: AI matches doctors in virtual care diagnoses – A Tel Aviv University study found that an AI tool used in a US virtual clinic provided diagnostic and treatment suggestions just as accurate as those from physicians. The system, developed with Israeli startup K Health, uses chat-based intake and patient records to assist care decisions. For aged care, this points to new possibilities for faster, reliable virtual triage—especially in remote or under-resourced settings.

🏗️ Hardi Aged Care trials AI-integrated care system – In NSW, Hardi has begun deploying InteliCare’s monitoring platform at their Summer Hill facility, with integration into care and nurse call systems underway. This marks the third site in a six-facility agreement. The system integrates with care management and nurse call platforms to detect real-time events and reduce staff workload.

🧬 AI helps uncover hidden trigger for Alzheimer’s – UC San Diego researchers used AI to reveal that a well-known protein may be a key driver of Alzheimer’s, and they’ve already identified a potential pill-based treatment. The compound, NCT-503, showed promising results in mice—boosting memory and reducing anxiety—offering a new way to prevent damage before symptoms appear.

^COMMUNITY

PODCAST

🚀 Learn and Lead with AI: 2 Hours to AI Proficiency

Due to high demand, we’ve moved this hands-on AI session to a larger room and have opened up additional spots. This practical two-hour session is designed for aged care managers and coordinators in Adelaide who want to understand how AI can support their daily operations.

It’s happening next week—and places are filling quickly.

📍 Thursday 15 May 2025 – Unley Oval Community Hub (25 Trimmer Terrace, Unley SA)
🎟️ Register now

This event is a collaboration between Hills Positive Ageing Project (Adelaide Hills Council), together with the Southern Services Reform Group (City of Onkaparinga) and Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia.

I'm not here to hype AI. I'm here to help you understand it, use it, and learn as it evolves. Whether you're testing a new tool, using it to lighten your workload, or keeping pace with the changes, I hope you found something here worth your time.

Feel free to forward this to your network or share it with your team.

See you next Tuesday,
George