Lions Befrienders’ upgraded AI agent calls seniors in a familiar voice

Automated check-in calls make it easier for staff to provide consistent, timely support

- Joyce Teo Senior Health Correspondent

When Mr Tan Hwee Leng recently received an automated check-in call from social service agency Lions Befrienders, the female voice on the other end asked him about his interests, sounding exactly like a Singaporean.

“What’s your interest?”, “When are you available?”, “Are you interested in volunteering?” and “When will you be free?” were some of the questions he was asked when he was invited to try out the upgraded voice agent in early November.

“If I say this week I’m not free, it will say: ‘Okay, I understand. Next week, I will try again’” said Mr Tan. The 69-year-old retired technical specialist was among the first 100 seniors to try the voice agent in late 2024.

Lions Befrienders’ upgraded artificial intelligence (AI) voice agent impressed Mr Tan with its ability to speak naturally with an authentic Singlish accent.

He said the latest version he tested in early November is a “remarkable” improvement from the one he first trialled one year ago.

“Last November, I could tell it’s a machine. It’s more mechanical and not so responsive,” said Mr Tan.

“When you gave a response, you had to wait for a long time before it responded. But now, it can respond fast. It’s almost instant.”

As Singapore rapidly ages, Lions Befrienders is leveraging voice AI technology to automate regular check-in calls to seniors living alone, making it easier for its staff to provide consistent and timely support.

It plans to officially launch the upgraded voice agent by end-March in 2026 so that it can engage many more seniors despite its limited manpower, said its executive director Karen Wee.

Lions Befrienders’ journey with the voice AI agent started in 2023, when it worked with Seasalt.ai, a Seattle-founded company with a major presence in Taiwan, to create an agent that recognises and understands the specific ways Singaporean seniors communicate.