Artificial Intelligence and Older Persons: Opportunities for Empowerment and Risks of Digital Exclusion in Light of Rights-Based Safeguards

This study examines the relationship between the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and the rights of older persons. It analyses the opportunities that smart applications offer in health care, independent living, social connection and economic security, set against the risks arising from digital exclusion, algorithmic age discrimination, privacy violations and fraud. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach based on international reports, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and relevant national surveys, and discusses the UAE legislative context. The review shows that the age gap in use remains wide, that the evidence of benefits is promising but limited, and that fraud risks are documented by rising figures. The study proposes a preliminary framework for safe digital empowerment that links graduated learning, inclusive design, data protection, human review and evaluation. It concludes that the rights-based value of AI is not measured by the mere availability of a service, but by its capacity to expand the real choices of older persons while respecting their will and dignity. The study does not present field results, nor does it claim to have tested the proposed model.