WisCompanion: Integrating the Socratic Method with ChatGPT-Based AI for Enhanced Explainability in Emotional Support for Older Adults

WisCompanion is a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) platform that merges the Socratic method with ChatGPT’s advanced prompting capabilities to provide tailored emotional support for older adults. This unique combination fosters critical thinking and engagement through iterative questioning, explicitly addressing older adults’ cognitive and emotional needs. This paper outlines a systematic approach for integrating a Socratic, ethical, and sensemaking AI framework with a chatGPT-based conversational AI tailored to older adults and trained on customized user data. WisCompanion delivers precise, context-aware explanations, fostering trust and transparency in AI interactions. Additionally, it supports lifelong learning. Our evaluations show significant improvements in user satisfaction with emotion support. Therefore, our results indicate that applying Socratic questioning techniques in conversational AI creates a dynamic and multi-layered dialogue structure. These techniques work in unison to foster a deeper understanding of the user’s perspectives, emotions, and experiences, thereby significantly enhancing the quality of AI-older adult interactions.