As artificial intelligence (AI) advances at an unprecedented rate, many senior citizens are being left behind. Los Altos High School juniors Kai Etkin and Rohan Desai are committed to addressing tech literacy among seniors through their nonprofit, Silver Savvy.
For the two high school juniors, this cause is personal, as they have recognized how seniors struggle with AI-generated misinformation and falling for digital scams.
“At one point, they (Desai’s grandparents) were on the verge of losing their life savings from a scam,” Desai said. “That was when I realized this wasn’t just an issue in my family; it’s happening everywhere.”
Etkin and Desai noticed that seniors were at risk of scams and misinformation online, but no one seemed to be tackling these issues. So, they took the matter into their own hands and launched Silver Savvy in October 2024.
Silver Savvy’s approach is through outreach and presentations at senior centers throughout the Bay Area.
“Our workshops start with a presentation, but it’s very interactive,” Etkin said. “We use demos, show AI tools live and walk seniors through examples of scams and AI-generated content so they can see firsthand how it works.”
The workshops are not only tutorials but also opportunities for seniors to engage with the two teenaged co-founders and ask them questions.
“A lot of the second half of the workshop is just us listening,” Desai said. “Seniors come up to us on their own and show us messages on their phones, asking what they should do.”
Silver Savvy’s workshops seem to be well-received by their audiences through their interactive methods and real-time support.
“By the end of the workshop, seniors who came in scared of AI are asking how to use it safely,” Etkin said.
Through their experiences interacting with seniors and teaching about technology, Etkin and Desai have learned more about the disparity in senior tech literacy.
“A lot of seniors see AI as a black box; something godlike that they can’t control or understand,” Desai said. “Because it developed so quickly, they feel like it’s this alien technology that’s leaving them behind.”
Looking ahead, the co-founders hope to expand their impact beyond their local communities while staying true to their original mission. Etkin and Desai are exploring opportunities to speak to policymakers and regulatory bodies to highlight the gaps in senior tech literacy.
“We want to scale in two ways: continuing local, in-person workshops while also reaching larger organizations that can influence policy and bring attention to this issue at a systemic level,” Desai said.
As Etkin reflects on the nonprofit’s achievements thus far, he believes that Silver Savvy focuses on topics that can apply to anyone.
“Everyone will eventually become a senior, and most people already have one in their life,” Etkin said. “That’s what makes this issue so universal and so important to address now.”
For more information, visit silversavvy.org.
