Older adults, gaming, and tech stereotypes with Dr. Brittne Kakulla

Episode notes

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Molly and guest co-host Elana Marmorstein sit down with Dr. Brittne Kakulla, Senior Consumer Insights Manager at AARP, to challenge one of tech’s most persistent assumptions that older adults are left behind by technology. Drawing on more than twenty-one years of research at AARP, Brittne reframes the conversation with a stat that stops most brands in their tracks. Ninety-nine percent of adults 50 and older own at least one tech device, and ninety percent own a smartphone. Adoption is not the problem. The shift now sits in how older adults decide what technology earns a place in their lives. Brittne explains why older adults should be understood as selective, not reluctant. Their choices are shaped by lived experience and grounded questions around usefulness, privacy, trust, and fit. Technology succeeds when it supports independence, respects control over personal data, and solves real problems. The conversation moves through AgeTech, gaming, smart home devices, and wearables, with insights from CES highlighting why no single device works for everyone. Life stage, caregiving needs, household context, and cost all shape adoption.