Can AI care for us? CNN's Innovate explores the new frontier of tech in the care sector

HONG KONG, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- While artificial intelligence continues to dominate global headlines amid fierce debates over the future of human jobs, a quiet revolution is happening in the United States in the homes of 73-year-old Dee Humphrey and Parkinson's patient Jerry Feldman — where tech innovations could usher in a new model of care for a sector that often suffers from human staff shortages.

In the upcoming episode of Innovate, CNN travels across the United States to profile the breakthrough AI companions and robots that hold the potential of stepping in to help bridge critical gaps in healthcare, companionship, and physical support — exploring whether technology can truly assist without losing essential human connection and judgment.

The show begins in New York State, where senior citizen Dee Humphrey shares her home with 'ElliQ', a lamp-like AI companion that chats, plays games and nudges her to exercise or take her medication. Its creator, Intuition Robotics co-founder Dor Skuler, sees it as a way to support an ageing population. Innovate will seek to answer this question: how can a machine offer companionship without replacing human connection?

The program turns next to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where nurse Desauna Tabor and her colleagues are helping train 'Rachel', an AI telephone assistant they say uncovers families' needs and frees up time at the bedside. For Hippocratic AI co-founder Munjal Shah, whose mother stopped taking medication without anyone following up, the alternative often isn't a human calling — it's no call at all. He believes AI can make abundance in caregiving available "for the first time in human history", provided it knows when to hand over to a person.

Finally, CNN visits Atlanta, where Jerry Feldman, who lives with Parkinson's, works with Dr Madeleine Hackney to test 'ZEST-E', an exercise robot — and helps researchers understand what users actually need. The show also meets Hello Robot CEO Aaron Edsinger, who wants robots to help when human support isn't available. For Jerry, that means getting medicine or something to eat when he's alone and movement is difficult.

The world is changing fast, and emerging technologies are driving the transformation. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, and IoT are just a few of the game-changing innovations that are shaping our lives and revolutionizing how we work, learn, live, and entertain ourselves. CNN's Innovate series tells the stories behind business ideas, technological developments, and entrepreneurial breakthroughs reshaping our world. Told through a compelling multiplatform approach, Innovate will engage audiences with stories of innovative thinkers from all walks of life who are shaping a better, smarter future for all.

Innovate trailers: https://bit.ly/4iakogb
Innovate images: https://bit.ly/4zNEm6u

Airtimes for Innovate: 
Saturday, 31st October at 6:30pm HKT
Sunday, 1st November at 9:30am and 4:30pm HKT
Monday, 2nd November at 2:30am HKT

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SOURCE CNN International