Digital home assistants like the Amazon Echo are increasing in popularity each year among the general population and provide assistance across a wide array of daily activities. Despite their general utility, they may be most useful for supporting older adults with the various challenges of aging. However, little is known about older adults’ opinions regarding these devices, which is necessary to encourage their adoption of these devices. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 older adult novice users to learn about their initial opinions regarding two digital home assistants, the Amazon Echo smart speaker and Echo Show smart display. Results revealed an overall trend of positive attitudes toward them and their capabilities, with a preference toward the Echo Show. These findings provided insights into older adults’ first impressions of digital home assistants, plus the foundation for investigating their potential in supporting older adults in maintaining functional independence.
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