Ethical Considerations of AI Use by the Elderly

Abstract

The aim of this review study is to identify key ethical challenges and dilemmas, examine how these issues are influenced by different cultural and contextual factors, and propose ways to address these concerns through ethical frameworks and guidelines. The methodology of this study is based on the PRISMA guidelines. The results indicate that the empirical research on the ethical issues in using AI by the elderly is very scarce. Furthermore, most of this research focuses on the exploration of the ethics of AI in healthcare. The results also reveal that the ethical implications of AI use in elderly care primarily revolve around concerns of autonomy, privacy, safety, and the potential for dehumanization of care. The findings show that older people generally emphasize the importance of maintaining control over their personal data and decision-making while also expressing fears about AI technology replacing human relationships. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.