This is how seniors are keeping up to date amidst national push for Gen AI

Unnaturally smooth skin, unsynchronised speech and questionable sources – these are some of the tell-tale signs Madam Lim Siew Gin, 70, has learnt to tell a deepfake apart from a real video.

“Some people have shared a deepfake video of Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong promoting cryptocurrency with me on WhatsApp before,” said the retired uniformed officer, adding that she was not duped by this ruse as she keeps up with news reports on such scams.

But the skills she picked up through a workshop on generative AI (Gen AI) would come in handy, said Madam Lim, as AI video generation apps become increasingly sophisticated.

She is among the first batch of seniors who attended a Gen AI literacy workshop in August, organised by DBS Foundation in conjunction with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). Over the next three years, the bank intends to conduct 1,000 of such classes, which will also cover topics such as digital banking, cashless payments and anti-scam education.

“As Singapore prepares to transition to a super-aged society, we want to ensure that everyone is empowered to embrace digitalisation and participate meaningfully in the evolving digital world,” said Mr Lim Him Chuan, DBS Singapore country head.

The Gen AI workshops tap content internally curated by the bank, as well as IMDA’s Digital Skills for Life (DSL) Framework, which was launched in 2024 as part of a national push to equip Singaporeans with basic digital skills such as transacting online and using smart devices.

With the rise of popular Gen AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the framework was enhanced in 2025 to include lessons on how to use such tools for generating information, and how to stay safe against known risks such as hallucinations and deepfakes.

“Is the skin texture real? When they talk, do the words spoken match the way their mouth moves? All these were taught to us to help spot deepfake content,” said Madam Lim, who attended the workshop held at the Lions Befrienders Active Ageing Centre in Ang Mo Kio.

“They taught us how to use tools such as ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Meta AI, but also warned us against sharing personal data with these apps, which is risky.”

Over at Fernvale Community Club in September, elderly couple Victor Lim and Jessie Teo were part of a 25-strong class learning about Gen AI from IMDA’s digital ambassadors.

“Previously with Google search, I had to click and read websites one by one. But with ChatGPT, it helps to compile information all in one place,” said Mr Lim, 75, who worked in the medical device sector before retiring in 2015.

However, he acknowledged that Gen AI apps and search engines alike are not immune to producing hallucinations and fake news.

“That’s why I tell Jessie to always have a second opinion, and don’t take information from just one source. Use multiple apps like Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, and see if there’s a difference in the responses.”

They are two of more than 6,000 seniors who have attended IMDA’s Gen AI workshops, which have been conducted since August 2024 and are regularly held at community centres and libraries.

With the new technology being used in everything from banking to daily interactions, it is important for seniors to learn a new “language” apart from the one they already know, said IMDA’s Mr Douglas Goh.

“This includes specifically addressing Gen AI’s drawbacks and limitations as part of the enhanced framework,” said Mr Goh, director of digital engagement and adoption at IMDA’s SG Digital Office.

“It balances both sides – teaching practical Gen AI applications for daily tasks like trip planning, while ensuring seniors understand the risks and how to manage them safely.”

To help make the learning process less challenging, IMDA conducts its workshops in various vernacular languages, and imparts information in a bite-sized manner.

“It’s a very warm setting, and it feels like we are all friends learning together,” said Madam Teo, 75. She began attending these classes in 2024 after being encouraged to do so by her husband, who has been attending digital adoption workshops since 2019.

ChatGPT even enabled Mr Lim to express his love for his wife better, by helping him create a poem for her birthday in September.

“If you told me to write this myself, it would have been too sappy,” said Mr Lim. “This helps to at least give the framework, and then I can edit it to what I want to say.

“This is also what Jessie does with cooking, to take inspiration from generated recipes and incorporate it into what she has already been doing.”

Though IMDA has conducted more than 500 Gen AI workshops, strong partnerships with organisations like DBS and the Singapore Computer Society (SCS) are needed for a digitally inclusive society, said Mr Goh.

Tapping the DSL framework, volunteers from SCS’ youth chapter have also conducted three Gen AI workshops for beneficiaries at the Braddell Heights Residents’ Network and New Hope Community Services so far.

The latter also includes low-income individuals and people with little to no family support, said the chapter’s executive committee vice-president Shafeek Ahamed. The aim is to run these lessons on a monthly basis so that participants can retain skills with consistent exposure.

“For many seniors, even simple digital tasks like setting reminders, taking notes during discussions or even drafting an e-mail can feel challenging,” he said.

“Gen AI can act as a powerful assistant, helping them manage these everyday tasks with greater ease and confidence.”

While many seniors might brush off the idea of learning about new technology, Mr Lim said it is important to keep the mind active and stay curious even after retirement. Armed with the skills he has picked up, he aims to create his own Gen AI workshop for his own group of friends.

“With my senior friends, some of them are afraid of being scammed when they learn how to use new tools. But I always encourage them to just try, and they might be surprised at what they can do.”

Note: This article was written by Sarah Koh and first appeared in The Straits Times on 02 November 2025.

Source: The Straits Times