Middle-aged and Elderly Solitary Deaths Prevented by AI... Daegu City Introduces Automated Check-in Calls

Daegu City and Naver Sign MOU for AI Collaboration

Daegu City Hall.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yeo Jong-gu] Daegu City announced on the 21st that it will introduce an AI-linked care service to prevent solitary deaths among vulnerable middle-aged and elderly groups.

Daegu City signed an MOU for the pilot project of Naver's Clova Care Call 'AI Automated Check-in Phone Service' and will officially launch the pilot project from March targeting 100 vulnerable single-person households in the middle-aged and elderly demographic.

Daegu City explained, "Due to the spread of COVID-19, periodic monitoring and management of isolated households such as single-person households have become necessary, which led to the promotion of this project."

The AI Automated Check-in Phone Service makes weekly or biweekly check-in calls to care recipients to confirm their status regarding meals, sleep, outings, and medication.

If the call is not answered or the person is classified as abnormal, the responsible public official conducts a secondary check.

Naver's Clova Care Call, developed with 'HyperClova,' enables free-flowing conversations like a companion, providing emotional care as well.

The background for this introduction is that the beta test conducted last November showed a high satisfaction rate among elderly users regarding their willingness to continue using the service.

Based on the results of the pilot project operation, the city plans to expand the target group in 2023.

Naver expects the 'Clova Care Call Service' to reduce the workload of frontline quarantine workers and help manage groups at risk of solitary death.

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin stated, "Solitary death is no longer an individual problem but a challenge that our entire society must solve together. We will manage marginalized neighbors to ensure that no one faces death alone in loneliness anymore."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.