Gwanak-gu, Smartphone Messenger Training with AI Robot Riku

Interactive Communication Using AI Robots, Contributing to Bridging the Digital Information Gap with 1:1 Customized Education... Informatization Education Center for Seniors Aged 60 and Over Held at Seongmin Comprehensive Social Welfare Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) will operate ‘Smartphone Messenger App (KakaoTalk) Utilization Education with AI Robot Riku’ at Seonghyeon-dong Informatization Education Center and Seongmin Comprehensive Social Welfare Center starting this November.

This education, conducted as part of the ‘2020 Robot Utilization Socially Vulnerable Benefit Support Contest (hosted by Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement)’ selected last April, aims to solve the digital information gap problem among the elderly in the digital society and prepare for the rapidly approaching untact era.

The instructor for the education is not a human but an AI robot named ‘Riku.’ The robot, equipped with voice recognition and response functions, conducts the education targeting seniors aged 60 and above who are vulnerable to using digital devices. The biggest advantage is that it enables interactive communication learning and 1:1 customized repetitive education.

The education will be conducted in small groups of fewer than 10 people over three months from November to January next year, strictly adhering to COVID-19 prevention (quarantine) rules such as social distancing among trainees and record keeping.

Any Gwanak-gu resident aged 60 or older can apply through the Gwanak-gu Office website (Education → KakaoTalk Education with AI Robot Riku) or by phone.

Mayor Park Junhee said, “We are promoting education so that residents, including seniors, can quickly adapt to the untact era through 1:1 customized repetitive education using robots,” and added, “We will continue to strive to create a smart city Gwanak that improves residents’ quality of life by quickly responding to changes in the times.”