Episode 4 - Dr. Roy Schoenberg - The Caregiver Shortage Emergency: Can AI Help Our Aging Population?

Host Mark Noble is joined by Dr. Roy Schoenberg, Founder and CEO of Aileen and former CEO of Amwell, for a timely look at the growing crisis in elder care and the role AI can play in addressing it. Roy discusses why caregiver shortages are reaching unsustainable levels, why traditional age-tech hasn’t delivered meaningful change, and how an AI companion focused on connection, not clinical tasks, may offer a new path forward. He also shares his perspective on responsible AI use for vulnerable populations and how solutions like Aileen could support both professional caregivers and families. Together, Mark and Roy explore: Why the elder-care crisis is accelerating, and what’s driving caregivers into the “red zone.” How AI companions differ from traditional digital health tools and why relationships, not reminders, may be the unlock. What responsible use of AI looks like for vulnerable populations, especially amid a lack of clear regulation. How home-care and senior-living organizations may be the critical entry point for AI-supported companionship. The distinction between AI that improves efficiency and AI that reshapes care models and why that matters for rural health transformation. Why future-proofing AI strategies means staying agile, not locking innovation into fixed models. Tune in for a thoughtful, hopeful, and urgent conversation about the future of elder care, the role AI can play, and why this moment calls for bold, human-centered innovation.