The actress Sue Johnston has launched a satirical 'Age Intelligence' initiative with Maltesers, presenting it as a rival to artificial intelligence. The 82-year-old, known for her role in The Royale Family, appeared in a comical product launch video channelling a tech mastermind, before revealing the twist: this AI is not artificial intelligence at all, but a celebration of the wisdom, perspective, humour and life experience that comes with getting older.
Putting Age Intelligence to the test
Working with Maltesers as part of the brand's 90th anniversary celebrations, Sue is inviting the public to submit queries they would normally send to a digital chatbot, so they can instead receive responses from those with lived experience. The best entries will be answered by Sue herself and content creator Grime Gran later this year.
Sue said: "AI is very handy for quick answers, but it can't tell you what a real person would say, remind you to take a cardigan, or confirm that you're definitely not overreacting (you probably are). Real wisdom comes from living through life's ups and downs – and from the people who've been there with you, armed with a story, an opinion and a cup of tea they insist you have before making any decisions."
Research shows trust in older generations
The launch follows research that found more than seven in 10 Brits believe AI will never be able to replace advice from the older generation. A study of 2,000 adults found that while 21% use AI tools for help several times a week, 92% believe some forms of wisdom can only be gained through lived experience.
In fact, 71% feel AI advice will never replace the feeling of genuine human connection, with mums (39%), female friends (20%) and sisters (12%) ranked among the most trusted sources of advice. Those polled go to their elders for romantic advice (19%), how to change a tyre (16%) and career change tips (13%). Older generations are also valued for practical know-how, including weeding the garden (16%), bleeding a radiator (18%) and removing stains from clothes (25%).
What people value about older advice
The research, carried out by OnePoll, also found 55% of those who believe AI will never replace advice from older generations think this is because they offer real-life experience which technology will never be able to replicate. Almost half (48%) feel advice from older people is more authentic, while 43% believe they are better able to understand the nuances and emotions behind a situation. The same amount (48%) value the personal anecdotes they can share.
Among the most valued pearls of wisdom were "save for a rainy day" (40%) and "treat others as you would like to be treated" (38%). However, 64% of AI users admitted they have sought help from a chatbot when they could instead have spoken to a real person. Despite this, trust remains a challenge for more personal topics, with a mere 18% relying on AI-generated advice for parenting and 17% having confidence in its advice on romantic relationships.
Maltesers marks 90th anniversary
By comparison, 77% trust advice from real people on parenting, while 73% would rely on guidance from those they confide in about their love life. Claire Norgate from Maltesers, which is also celebrating its partnership with Comic Relief that has raised more than £8.5 million supporting organisations working with women and girls, added: "AI is brilliant at giving us quick answers. But there are some things it simply can't replicate – the stories, perspective, humour and connection that come from real-life experience.
"As we celebrate our 90th birthday, Age Intelligence felt like the perfect way to celebrate the people we turn to for advice, a laugh or a much-needed reality check. Whether it's your mum, sister, friend or someone from a generation before you, sometimes the best advice comes from simply having a conversation."
