Dana Griffin on AI, belonging, and intergenerational connection

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Mar 12, 2025

Dana Griffin, co-founder and CEO of Eldera, is on a mission to tackle loneliness and ageism by fostering intergenerational connections through AI. Raised by her grandparents, Dana shares how technology can create meaningful bonds between youth and older adults. She highlights the importance of viewing aging as an asset and discusses how social media can deepen isolation while AI offers pathways to real connections. The conversation also touches on the benefits of mentorship as a vital component of healthcare and the rich potential of generational wisdom.

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ANECDOTE

Dana's Upbringing

Dana Griffin was raised by her grandparents and mentored by older adults.
These experiences shaped her appreciation for intergenerational connections and wisdom.

INSIGHT

Technology and Loneliness

Technology, especially social media, can exacerbate loneliness.
Human connection is crucial for combating loneliness, not chatbots.

ADVICE

Eldera's Mission

Build accessible and safe intergenerational connection infrastructure.
Vet, train, and support older adults to act as mentors for kids.

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Loneliness is a public health crisis affecting people of all ages.This week on Possible, Reid and Aria sit down with someone using AI to bridge generational gaps and combat the loneliness epidemic.

Dana Griffin is co-founder and CEO of Eldera, a global platform using AI to foster intergenerational connections. Raised by her grandparents and mentored by older adults throughout her life, Dana is on a mission to help people see aging as an asset. Dana shares how Eldera uses AI to safely and meaningfully connect kids with older mentors, addressing loneliness, declining mental health, and lost wisdom. They explore how technology can support human connection—rather than replace it—along with what an "age-integrated society” could unlock.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

To learn more and join Eldera: https://wisdom.eldera.ai/possible

Topics:

1:20 - Episode introduction

3:37 - Dana’s early life and how it shaped her perspective on intergenerational bonds

6:09 - How ageism creates a waste of human potential

9:01 - Policy and tech solutions can help reintegrate older adults

12:11 - Social media worsens isolation, but AI can help foster real connection

14:31 - Eldera’s mission of bridging generations through AI-powered mentorship

18:52 - Opposite backgrounds create stronger bonds when matching mentors and mentees

22:44 - Intergenerational mentorship as a form of healthcare

26:34 - Using AI to map and amplify generational knowledge

30:26 - Midroll ad break

30:35 - AI enhances, but never replaces, human connection

34:05 - Encouraging confidence among older adults through Eldera’s wisdom portrait

37:26 - Scaling Eldera and working towards a society where we value the impact of elders

41:17 - The barriers and opportunities of scaling Eldera

44:34 - How cultural perspectives and global views on aging shape intergenerational ties

48:33 - Rapid fire

Select mentions:

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Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. Each episode seeks to advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.