Family caregivers are overwhelmed, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wants to use artificial intelligence to help them. As part of a newly announced national competition, he's willing to award up to $2 million to those with the 10 best ideas.
Kennedy announced the launch of the "Caregiver AI Challenge" on Nov. 18, while joined by U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins, Assistant Secretary for Aging Mary Lazare and caregiving advocates including Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.
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"We're calling on engineers, scientists, innovators (and) entrepreneurs across the country to harness artificial intelligence to make caregiving smarter, simpler and more humane," Kennedy said.
There are 63 million family caregivers in the United States, or nearly 1 in 4 adults, according to data jointly published by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. That's a 45% increase since 2015, and the data shows that where you live has a big impact on the care resources you have access to. The caregiving crisis has gained visibility in recent years as the number of caregivers has increased, and notable celebrities like Bradley Cooper, Chris Hemsworth and Emma Heming Willis have drawn attention to the issue.
