  Loneliness and social isolation are serious and widespread problems among
older people, affecting their physical and mental health, quality of life, and
longevity. In this paper, we propose a ChatGPT-based conversational companion
system for elderly people. The system is designed to provide companionship and
help reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The system was
evaluated with a preliminary study. The results showed that the system was able
to generate responses that were relevant to the created elderly personas.
However, it is essential to acknowledge the limitations of ChatGPT, such as
potential biases and misinformation, and to consider the ethical implications
of using AI-based companionship for the elderly, including privacy concerns.
