AI messaging service developed for unpaid carers

A messaging tool that uses AI to respond has been launched to help unpaid carers access information and support around the clock.

Launched by Gloucestershire County Council, the service, "Ask Grace", is a Whatsapp chat that responds quickly and directs people to local information and support services.

Carers can simply send a message to "Grace" in their own words and receive tailored information without needing to search multiple websites.

Councillor Dr Kate Usmar, cabinet member for adults' support and independence at Gloucestershire County Council, said the tool was developed with carers to ensure it is "simple, useful and can genuinely make a difference".

"We know unpaid carers do so much, often with little time to find the support that's right for them," she added.

Usmar said Ask Grace was designed to save time by giving carers quick access to trusted information and local services, reducing the need to search online or make multiple phone calls.

She said the tool had also been tested with carers and local partners to ensure it was "easy to use, practical and responsive to real-life needs".

Emphasising the role of technology in improving access to support, Usmar said people "have to embrace AI" and safeguarding had been a key consideration during the development of the service.

Usmar said while it is AI that is "safe to use", users were asked not to put their personal information into it.

"Just ask a question. Don't say who you are. It is locked down and searches information from about 60 websites," she said.

"It's not going right the way out there into the world – it's going to trusted sources. So it's as safe as we can possibly get it," she added.

The development of the tool is being funded through a government grant and is expected to cost £28,000 over two years.

Michelle Blakely, of MB Consultancy and a trusted adviser to the health and social care sector in Gloucestershire, said the tool could help carers "feel more confident, less isolated and better equipped".

Blakely said while the messaging tool was a "really positive step for unpaid carers", the technology "should compliment, rather than replace, human support".

"An app can provide information and signposting, but it can't replace professional advice, compassion or personal judgement," she added.

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