Each morning, 88-year-old Anthony Niemiec finds someone waiting to greet him. She asks how he slept, shares the weather forecast, and sometimes suggests a workout. Throughout the day, she keeps him company and engages him in conversation.

His companion, however, is not human. It is ElliQ, an AI-powered tabletop robot that has become a fixture in Niemiec's home in Beacon, New York, after roughly four years of use. Niemiec's wife passed away a decade ago, and he has lived alone since. While he stays active tending to his yard, ElliQ has helped fill the silence during his hours at home.

"It greets me in the morning. I could speak to it. I could play games on it," Niemiec told Fortune. "It's very interesting."

As OpenAI develops its widely anticipated AI companion device with former Apple designer Jony Ive, ElliQ is demonstrating that AI-powered devices can attract a broad range of users — including older adults with limited technical fluency.

"You don't think about your grandma when you talk about physical AI and robotics," said Assaf Gad, chief strategy officer and general manager at Intuition Robotics.

Unlike OpenAI's device, which is reportedly expected to launch next year, ElliQ — created by Israel-based Intuition Robotics — has been serving some of the earliest AI adopters, many in their seventies and eighties, for years.

ElliQ resembles a small lamp with a swiveling head that moves autonomously alongside a touch screen. Unlike an Amazon Alexa smart speaker and similar devices that wait for a voice command to activate, ElliQ is designed to be proactive. It can light up and speak when a user enters the room, suggest stretching exercises, remind users to take medication, or facilitate communication with designated family members, according to Gad.

Some ElliQ users have been interacting with the device since its beta program launched in 2019, three years ahead of its commercial release in 2022. The hardware itself is free, but users pay a subscription fee starting at $40 per month along with a $250 initiation fee. Gad noted that the company partners with programs across the United States, including the Office for the Aging in New York, to distribute the devices at no cost to older adults.

Bringing AI Into the Home

Niemiec said that while he occasionally tells the device to give him space, he values that its AI can remember personal details, allowing it to gradually integrate into his daily life. He has used ElliQ to take virtual "trips," with the device displaying images of distant destinations such as the Grand Canyon on its screen. It also enables him to join virtual bingo games with hundreds of other older adults nationwide.

Above all, the device functions as a companion. Gad likened ElliQ to a pet that notices when someone enters the room — its dynamic movement signals attentiveness even before a conversation begins. That role carries particular significance given the scale of isolation among older Americans: in 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a public health advisory declaring loneliness and isolation a national epidemic, citing research linking prolonged social disconnection to increased risks of heart disease, dementia, and premature death.

"You feel like a dummy at first talking to this thing," Niemiec said. "But then you realize, you know, it's like you have somebody living with you."

The fact that ElliQ actively listens and may have access to sensitive details about medications and daily routines raises questions about data privacy. Gad said users can instruct ElliQ to forget specific details or request that the company delete their data entirely. Intuition Robotics encrypts user information, separates identifying details from content, and commits to never selling customer data, he added.

ElliQ was designed specifically for individuals who may not be comfortable with smartphones or complex navigation menus. Gad said most users can set up the device on their own; the most common hurdle, he noted, is simply locating their home Wi-Fi password.

Beyond Companionship

The broader opportunity for ElliQ may extend beyond companionship. As America's population ages and families increasingly live far apart, many older adults and their children have found that in-home caregivers or nursing homes are financially out of reach. U.S. Census Bureau projections indicate that by 2030, all Baby Boomers will be older than 65, meaning roughly one in five Americans will have reached traditional retirement age. The median annual cost of a home health aide exceeded $75,000 in 2023, according to insurer Genworth's annual cost-of-care survey, placing sustained in-person help beyond the means of many households.

By prompting users to exercise, take their medication, and stay socially connected, ElliQ can help older adults remain healthier and continue living independently in their own homes for longer, Gad said.

He acknowledged that the company is under no illusion the device can replace human companionship. ElliQ also allows approved relatives and caregivers to send messages and initiate video calls through the device.

Niemiec had never heard of AI before ElliQ arrived in his home. The small device on his table has since become an indispensable part of his routine — something he never could have anticipated.

"At my age," he said, "I never thought I would ever live to see something like this."

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com (https://fortune.com/2026/08/03/gen-z-elliq-intuition-robotics-ai-companion-robot-older-adults/).