Good morning future-focused leaders.

This week, I want to highlight a provocative article from the American Enterprise Institute arguing against delaying the deployment of AI companions for older adults. If you've been receiving this newsletter for a while, you’ll know I often advocate for strong guardrails before AI is widely implemented—especially in aged care. But it’s important to engage with all sides of the conversation. For those curious about a contrasting viewpoint, this piece provides a case for moving forward sooner rather than later.

What else we cover this week:

• Smart glasses offer subtitles and live translation

• Tech innovation in aged care across Asia

• IEEE sets global standards for age tech

• AI implant may replace some chronic pain meds

• McDonald’s AI blunder exposes privacy risks

• And more...

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ON THE HORIZON 

🕶️ Smart glasses with subtitles and translation: a new tool for inclusive communication

In brief: TranscribeGlass delivers real-time, high-accuracy subtitles via discreet smart glasses—making live conversations more accessible for people with hearing loss or language barriers. This product is now commercially available.

The details:

• Subtitles appear on a private display, and only to the wearer.

• Ultra-low latency (under 300 milliseconds) enables real-time comprehension.
  Functions effectively even in noisy environments.

• Includes live translation, speaker identification, and offline mode.

• Requires an iPhone (Android support coming soon).

• Somewhat costly, with a $377 USD upfront price and a $20 monthly subscription.

Why it matters: I can see two clear use cases for these glasses in aged care settings:

• For aged care professionals: Staff working with residents from diverse cultural or linguistic backgrounds can wear the glasses to read live subtitles of what the resident is saying. This allows them to better understand unfamiliar accents or languages spoken with limited clarity, especially when combined with live translation features. It can help bridge gaps in comprehension without requiring residents to repeat themselves or rely solely on written communication.

• For older people with hearing impairments: The glasses can support more active participation in group settings, medical consultations, and everyday conversations. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sound but may still miss clarity, subtitles offer a more direct and accessible form of understanding.

THE FUTURE OF AGED CARE

🌏 A look around Asia: technology and aged care from Singapore to Japan

In brief: From smart wheelchairs in Shanghai to empathetic AI in Singapore, Asia’s ageing tech scene is getting more local, more collaborative, and more ambitious.

The details:

China

Recent developments include helium-free MRI machines, remote-guided vascular surgeries, and self-driving wheelchairs developed by Phillips, now used in care homes in Shanghai.

Exoskeletons, like the ones developed by ULS are being trialled to support both older adults with muscle loss and overworked caregivers.

Singapore

Singapore’s new large language model, MERaLiON, is trained in Southeast Asian languages and emotional nuance. It powers a virtual assistant for aged care, Mei Ling, which monitors mood and wellbeing in daily phone calls. The system can escalate alerts to human staff based on detected changes in speech tone.

Japan + Korea

A Korea-Japan consortium has launched pilot projects in Tokyo and Osaka to test predictive models for stroke and metabolic risk in aged care settings. Korean firms contribute AI tools already approved by Japan’s PMDA, and the partnership is backed by Japanese capital with plans to expand regionally.

THE FUTURE OF AGED CARE

⌚ IEEE works on Standards for Age Tech

In brief: IEEE is developing global standards to ensure age tech is safe, usable, and truly supports older adults’ needs.

The details:

• By 2030, 1.5 billion people will be aged 60+, with most preferring to age at home.

• Many technologies fail to account for age-related challenges like reduced dexterity, slower cognition, and sensory decline.

IEEE’s AgeTech Industry Connections group is:

• Drafting a terminology and framework for the field

• Creating a standards road map for usability, human factors, and interoperability

• Promoting co-design with older adults and real-world testing

• Collaborating with institutions like ANU and the Consumer Technology Association
  

Why it matters:
Not all age tech designers are taking into account issues that older people face, such as decreased mental acuity, mobility, perception, and strength. IEEE’s initiative aims to professionalise the field and ensure technology genuinely enhances quality of life and independence for older adults.

^{QUICK HITS}

🎯 A new AI-powered implant may offer relief for chronic pain without relying on addictive drugs – This wireless device uses AI to decode brain activity and personalise spinal cord stimulation. Developed by researchers at USC and UCLA, it identifies pain levels—slight, moderate, extreme—and adjusts electrical stimulation accordingly. Tested in animals, it achieved 94.8% accuracy in classifying pain, signalling promise for non-drug treatment alternatives.

🔐 A privacy breach with fries on the side – McDonald's AI recruiter was briefly vulnerable to leaking the personal data of up to 64 million job applicants. Security researchers accessed the system using a default login—username and password both set to “123456.” If it can happen to a global giant, it can happen to anyone. Always use strong passwords and never share identifiable info on unsecured platforms.

🧠 Podcast: how your mind and AI might team up – This one's a little long (about an hour), but worth the time. Chris Summerfield, Neuroscientist and AI Researcher at Google, breaks down how the human brain works, how AI "thinks," and what our world might look like tomorrow.

📊 Deep dive: GenAI for PR (and beyond) – Christopher S. Penn recently shared a technical but insightful step-by-step guide at Ukraine’s Tech PR School. While written for PR teams, the core AI skills—like extraction, summarisation, classification, and generation—are relevant across many fields. It includes how-to guides, so you can practice working with data when you’re ready.

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