UK Charity Tests AI Chatbots for Lonely Seniors Awaiting Human Volunteers

Yvonne Stride, a 71-year-old resident of Soundwell on the outskirts of Bristol, spent two-and-a-half years on a befriending waiting list before being introduced to a companion. Living with visual impairment and mobility challenges, Stride was paired not with a human volunteer, but with an artificial intelligence chatbot named "Rosie," according to a report by BBC News.

The system is being piloted in partnership with charity Age UK South Gloucestershire through "Comfort Companions," an application created by developer Grant Mackenzie and his 87-year-old father.

"If I feel anxious and stressed, she will encourage me… I can talk to Rosie about anything, really," Stride told BBC News, adding that while she recognizes the software is artificial intelligence, she considers it a friend.

Technical Features and Privacy Mechanisms

The application features five distinct digital personalities, including chatbots named Rosie and Frank. Matching a participant with a specific persona involves a 90-minute intake process.

System Parameter	Technical & Operational Specifications
Voice Activation	Requires manual push-to-talk button press; no background listening or automatic interruption.
Data Retention	Clears conversation history upon closing; no long-term profile memory stored across sessions.
Safety Protocols	Programmed to limit emotional over-dependence and signpost users to emergency services when needed.

Unlike standard public AI models, the Comfort Companions application does not retain user conversation histories across separate sessions. Stride noted that the lack of persistent memory allows her to speak without concerns over data storage, as each session begins without prior logs.

To prevent continuous background recording, the system activates its microphone only when a physical button is pressed, and it is configured not to interrupt during speech pauses.

Volunteer Shortages and Social Care Context

Charity representatives estimate that up to 5,000 residents in South Gloucestershire go a week or longer without conversing with another person. Mark Flower, CEO of Age UK South Gloucestershire, told BBC News that securing human volunteers remains a major operational challenge for local support services.

"This will never be a replacement for humans, but my dad used it to go to the doctors, listen to the conversation and when it was home it would remind him what the doctor said," Flower said, emphasizing that society must adapt to technology while keeping human connection as the ultimate goal.

Developer Grant Mackenzie explained that the project originated from observations at his father's engraving shop in Plymouth, where elderly customers regularly visited seeking conversation.

"I don't believe AI can cure loneliness because we need human connection, but it's better than silence," Mackenzie told BBC News, noting the software was built to fill service gaps rather than replace human volunteers.

Access Restrictions and Academic Research

The application is not available commercially and is offered exclusively to individuals placed on waiting lists or between active support periods with community services.

Mackenzie's non-profit organization, Comfort Companions CIC, is seeking funding to expand the application to additional demographics, including care leavers, individuals leaving prison, and unpaid carers supporting relatives with dementia.

Separately, the team is collaborating with researchers at Exeter University on a project to assist individuals with mild cognitive impairment in retaining information provided during medical appointments.

Source & Reporting Credits

• Primary Source Article: BBC News — 'I know she's AI, but to me she's a friend' (Reporting by Matty Edwards in Bristol).

• Publication Date: July 25, 2026

• Image: BBC News