You are never too old to learn new things

The faster technology advances, the easier it is for many retired people to mistakenly think that tech is only for young people and that they are too old to learn it. After using artificial intelligence (AI) and smart-home technology, I have become convinced that age is not the real obstacle. What matters more is how we learn and whether we are willing to take the first step.

Smart cameras, plugs and locks might seem quite complicated, but once set up, everyday use involves little more than a few taps on a smartphone. Smart cameras can allow people to check on their homes and talk to family members, smart plugs allow people to turn off appliances while they are away and sensors can send alerts when doors or windows are opened or a water leaks occur.

AI is similar. Upon first encountering ChatGPT, Gemini and other generative AI systems, many feel intimidated. However, ordinary users do not need to understand the technical principles behind AI; they can simply treat it as a personal assistant that can chat and answer questions.

If users do not understand English, they can ask the chatbot to translate. If they want to write an article, they can tell it their ideas. When traveling abroad, they can ask it to organize information. If they have questions about a news report, they can ask it to fact-check and analyze the issue. If they encounter a tech product they do not understand, they can take a photo, send it to the chatbot and start asking questions.

The key is not how much a person understands, but if they are willing to try.

Learning to use technology does not require fully understanding it. A person should use it first, then gradually understand. It is OK to make a mistake, and it is OK if the user does not get the desired results at first. Ask again, rephrase the prompt, identify what went wrong and try again. Trial and error is learning in itself.

This is where a good teacher makes all the difference. Good teachers do not do everything for their students; instead, they point them in the right direction when they get stuck and allow them to complete the task themselves. Try, make a mistake, receive guidance from a teacher, try again, succeed and build confidence.

When someone successfully completes an AI conversation for the first time, sets up a smart-home system or uses a camera to check on their home from afar, the most important thing they gain might not be a new technological skill, but the belief that they can do it. Once that confidence takes hold, technology no longer seems so intimidating, and learning shifts from a passive activity to something self-directed.

Retirement is not the end of all learning. It can be the perfect time to start anew. In the past, many people learned how to use technology for work. After retirement, people can learn how to use it for life — to make themselves more independent, make life safer and more convenient, and stay connected with family and the wider world.

What is truly important about using AI and smart-home technology has never been how many technical terms you know, but whether you are willing to start.

Do not wait until you know how before you try. Start and you learn along the way.

Be willing to try, willing to make mistakes and have a good teacher provide guidance when needed.

Technology is not as difficult as it might seem.

True wisdom is not about chasing after technology, but about using it to serve us, and allow for more comfortable and fulfilling lives.