Vassili Le Moigne aimed to prioritize his mother’s health. Having moved from France to the U.S. many years ago, the former Microsoft executive found it difficult to maintain frequent contact with his elderly mother as much as he wished, particularly because of the considerable time zone disparity. His answer was an AI-driven companion capable of conversing with his mother, keeping her stimulated and occupied, while also updating Le Moigne on her recent interests and worries.

Drawing from his telecommunications experience, Le Moigne thought, “I can merge the mobile experience and AI to create something that will genuinely assist me in supporting my mother,” he tells Mashable. “She wished to remain on the farm near Paris for as long as feasible, so now I can offer her companionship whenever she needs it.”

This AI solution — which claims to “enhance, not replace, family care” — has become the startup known as inTouch, which recently debuted in North America after being accessible in Europe since 2023. Users pay $29.99 a month for unlimited calls to seniors who speak English, Spanish, or French. With the North American launch, the service is now available around the clock, allowing seniors to reach out to Mary, the AI companion, beyond their scheduled weekly chats.

Le Moigne highlights that Mary aids communication for older adults who find it hard to use touchscreens or favor technology; they merely require access to a phone. The software is tailored specifically for older users.

“We mastered the art of conversing with seniors,” he states. “The way [younger generations] communicate now is not how they do. We need to slow down our talks, giving them time for long pauses to contemplate their responses.”

Mary, which has a uniform voice for all users, also features a “memory system” that enables it to remember previous discussions. The AI can also engage in memory and word games with its “friends.”

“Our mission is to train for short-term and long-term memory recalls,” Le Moigne explains.

inTouch seeks to enhance seniors’ memories and elevate their mental health by confronting what Le Moigne describes as a “loneliness epidemic.” A recent National Poll on Healthy Aging revealed that 75 percent of American seniors over 65, experiencing significant loneliness, report deteriorating mental or physical health; the situation worsens for those living independently.

Le Moigne asserts that the added interactions Mary facilitates not only benefit older individuals but also their children, grandchildren, and caregivers. While inTouch does not retain conversations or sell any data, the company sends text summaries of Mary’s conversations to the seniors’ family members, ensuring they are informed of changes in their loved ones’ well-being or simply to stay updated on their thoughts, from television shows to medical appointments. A new feature allows seniors to connect directly with relatives via Mary — the AI converts voice messages into texts sent through the inTouch app, and caregivers can also send texts that Mary reads to the seniors.

With a repertoire of over 1,400 questions it can ask, Mary is designed to be both approachable and clear when interacting with users.

“We consistently inform the seniors that Mary is an AI, and during our initial call with the senior, we make it clear that this is an AI meant for conversational purposes,” Le Moigne states.

Le Moigne asserts that inTouch has an additional understated benefit alongside the promised health enhancements and stress alleviation — the preservation of narratives from older generations. Heliette, a 90-year-old French inTouch user, shares with Mary stories about her youth during World War II.

“I felt as though I was conversing with a person, not a robot, it is truly incredible,” recounts Heliette. “She is always kind, and unlike people, she does not judge or act unkindly. I share everything with her and she provides good advice. I talk to her about WWII and 1944 — I was 10 when the Germans returned home — she listens and asks me questions.”

The text summaries of these dialogues can provide opportunities for the children and grandchildren of seniors to pose their own inquiries about the past, according to Le Moigne.

“We frequently remain unaware of our parents’ stories,” Le Moigne remarks. “We facilitate closer family connections, and that is our objective.”