Artificial intelligence (AI) has significant potential to improve healthcare for older adults and people living with dementia, but many promising technologies have yet to become part of routine clinical practice. A new initiative at Duke University aims to bridge this gap by supporting the development, evaluation, and responsible implementation of trustworthy AI solutions for aging and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The Duke Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratory for Aging: Governance and Evaluation (Duke AITC-AIGE) has been selected as one of five centers funded through the National Institute on Aging’s AI and Technology Collaboratories program. Duke will receive nearly $25 million over five years to establish shared research infrastructure, support nationwide projects, harmonize aging-related databases, and accelerate the translation of AI innovations into practical healthcare applications.

The initiative is led by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in geriatrics, clinical implementation, data science, biostatistics, and responsible AI. Its primary objective is to ensure that AI technologies are rigorously evaluated, safely implemented, and continuously monitored to demonstrate meaningful improvements in patient outcomes and quality of life.

Potential applications include detecting early cognitive decline through speech and behavioral analysis, identifying fall and wandering risks, optimizing medication use, and providing caregivers with personalized guidance. The center will help researchers assess these technologies in real-world settings to determine their effectiveness and reliability.

A key component of the initiative is improving AI transparency through standardized model cards, which summarize an AI tool’s purpose, training data, performance, limitations, potential biases, and appropriate uses. These resources will help clinicians, researchers, healthcare organizations, patients, and caregivers make informed decisions about the suitability and safety of AI technologies.

The center will also develop NeuroAI, a secure analytics and evaluation platform that enables researchers to analyze diverse health data, including electronic medical records, brain imaging, laboratory results, and genetic information. In addition, a national pilot funding program will provide researchers, smaller institutions, community organizations, patients, and caregivers with access to technical expertise and resources for developing and evaluating AI solutions.

Ultimately, Duke AITC-AIGE aims to accelerate responsible AI innovation in aging research and dementia care. By improving access to research infrastructure, strengthening evaluation standards, and supporting real-world implementation, the initiative seeks to promote independence among older adults, ease caregiver burdens, improve healthcare delivery, and enhance quality of life.

Source: https://medschool.duke.edu/news/duke-launches-national-hub-advance-trustworthy-ai-aging-and-dementia-care-0