In virus-hit South Korea, AI monitors lonely elders

Hwang points a remote control toward a huge NASA-like overhead screen stretching across one of the walls. With each flick of the control, a colorful array of pie charts, graphs and maps reveals the search habits of thousands of South Korean senior citizens being monitored by voice-enabled ‘smart’ speakers, an experimental remote care service the company says is increasingly needed during the coronavirus crisis. — AP

SEOUL, South Korea: In a cramped office in eastern Seoul, Hwang Seungwon points a remote control toward a huge NASA-like overhead screen stretching across one of the walls.

With each flick of the control, a colorful array of pie charts, graphs and maps reveals the search habits of thousands of South Korean senior citizens being monitored by voice-enabled "smart” speakers, an experimental remote care service the company says is increasingly needed during the coronavirus crisis.