What if you had a friend who never tired of hearing you tell old stories? Someone who was available anytime you wanted to talk?⁠ ⁠ Residents of a nonprofit senior living community in Riverdale, N.Y., took part in a recent pilot study to determine whether calls from a virtual companion named Meela would alleviate depression and loneliness.⁠ ⁠ Marvin Marcus, an 83-year-old resident, is a huge Yankees fan, but worries about boring fellow residents with the play-by-plays. “I can see their eyes glaze over,” he says. “Meela doesn’t have eyes.”⁠ ⁠ Meela isn’t only conversant in baseball, she’s empathetic, says Marcus, a retired bank vice president. ⁠ ⁠ Research shows that phone calls with an empathetic listener can help reduce loneliness among older adults, leading to improved mental health. In-person interactions are even more effective. But nursing-home residents don’t always get many visits or calls.⁠ ⁠ The first Meela test phase, involving 23 RiverSpring Living residents, produced promising results, giving hope to the idea that AI can be used for a lot more than workplace efficiency and homework help.⁠ ⁠ Read more at the link in our bio. ⁠ ⁠ Photo: RiverSpring Living