SH Corporation Provides Care Services for Socially Isolated Households Using AI Speakers

MOU Signed with Seoul Welfare Foundation and Two Other Organizations

Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation) announced on the 9th that it will pilot an artificial intelligence (AI) speaker care service for socially isolated households in collaboration with three organizations: Seoul Welfare Foundation, Gangdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, and Seongnae Comprehensive Social Welfare Center.

This project is being promoted to prevent isolation and solitary deaths among socially isolated households, based on the results of the "2021 Study on the Risk Status of Solitary Deaths" conducted by the Seoul Welfare Foundation.

The target group consists of 100 socially isolated households residing in SH Corporation's multi-family rental housing located in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. AI speakers equipped with various functions such as music listening, news, weather, and conversation will be installed (rented) in each household. Usage will be monitored, and if the device is unused for a certain period, a welfare check will be conducted. The service also recognizes emergency voice commands such as "Save me" and "Help me," detects emergency situations, and connects to 119 emergency services.

SH Corporation oversees project planning, budget support, promotion, operation and monitoring, and selection of project participants, and will establish future service operation directions. The Seoul Welfare Foundation will provide consulting on pilot project operations, establish criteria for selecting participants, and utilize user satisfaction surveys to develop support policies for socially isolated households. Gangdong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center and Seongnae Comprehensive Social Welfare Center are responsible for discovering, recruiting, and assisting in the selection of participants. They will also provide operational support for the service and link participants to welfare services.

Applications will be accepted through the respective social welfare centers from the 13th to the 24th. Final participants will be selected in June, and the pilot service is scheduled to begin in July.

Kim Heon-dong, President of SH Corporation, stated, "We will contribute to identifying socially isolated households and resolving isolation issues by utilizing advanced smart technology," adding, "We will do our best with related organizations to help vulnerable housing groups restore their daily lives."

Kim Sang-chul, CEO of Seoul Welfare Foundation, said, "Through this business agreement, we will do our best to alleviate the sense of isolation among vulnerable housing groups and prevent solitary deaths."