AI‑Facilitated Cognitive Engagement for Healthy Ageing

About the project

About the Project As populations age, maintaining cognitive health and quality of life has become a major public health priority (WHO, 2025). Evidence from digital ageing research shows that older adults are willing to engage with new technologies when they are meaningful, well‑supported, and accessible (Vaportzis, Giatsi Clausen, et al., 2017). Experimental work also demonstrates that engaging in new, mentally challenging digital activities (such as learning to use a tablet) can lead to measurable cognitive benefits, including improvements in processing speed (Vaportzis, Martin, et al., 2017). Yet we know surprisingly little about how older adults experience such engagement, what makes it motivating or burdensome, and how low‑cost digital tools might support it (Li et al., 2024). This PhD project will investigate whether AI‑designed cognitive engagement prompts can enhance perceived cognitive health, wellbeing, and everyday functioning in adults aged 65+. Unlike traditional brain training, this intervention focuses on real‑world cognitive activation rather than repetitive tasks, and is designed to be accessible, low‑cost, and scalable. The project will also explore how older adults perceive AI‑generated content, what makes prompts feel meaningful or patronising, and how digital confidence, cultural background, and device access shape engagement. Specific Objectives Explore older adults’ attitudes toward AI‑generated cognitive prompts and identify features that support or hinder engagement; Develop and refine a bank of AI‑generated cognitive engagement prompts, co‑designed with older adults; Conduct an intervention study comparing AI‑facilitated cognitive engagement with an active control condition; Examine changes in perceived cognitive health and wellbeing; Analyse how digital literacy, cultural background, and device access influence engagement and outcomes; Conduct post‑intervention focus groups to understand acceptability, perceived benefits, and barriers to scale‑up. Research Design & Methodology This is a mixed‑methods exploratory project comprising three phases: Pre‑intervention focus groups Explore perceptions of cognitive ageing, digital confidence, and attitudes toward AI‑generated cognitive challenges. Co‑design acceptable, non‑patronising prompt styles. Intervention Participants receive brief cognitive engagement AI‑generated prompts that they need to respond to. Potential outcomes include perceived cognitive health, anxiety, wellbeing, and everyday cognitive failures. Post‑intervention focus groups Explore experiences of the intervention, perceived cognitive changes, and recommendations for future digital ageing tools. Key Outputs A qualitative paper on older adults’ perceptions of AI‑facilitated cognitive engagement. A refined, co‑designed bank of cognitive engagement prompts suitable for future interventions. A quantitative paper reporting intervention outcomes and predictors of engagement. A mixed‑methods synthesis offering a framework for low‑cost digital cognitive‑ageing interventions. Practical guidance for community organisations and clinicians on supporting everyday cognitive health. How to apply Formal applications can be made via the University of Bradford web site ; applicants will need to register an account, select 'Postgraduate Research' as the course and then use the keyword 'psychology'. Applicants should then specify the project title in the 'Research Proposal' section and include a research proposal. About the University of Bradford Bradford is a research-active University supporting the highest-quality research. We excel in applying our research to benefit our stakeholders by working with employers and organisations world-wide across the private, public, voluntary and community sectors and actively encourage and support our postgraduate researchers to engage in research and business development activities. Positive Action Statement At the University of Bradford our vision is a world of inclusion and equality of opportunity, where people want to, and can, make a difference. We place equality and diversity, inclusion, and a commitment to social mobility at the centre of our mission and ethos. In working to make a difference we are committed to addressing systemic inequality and disadvantages experienced by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and students. Under sections 158-159 of the Equality Act 2010, positive action can be taken where protected group members are under-represented. At Bradford, our data show that people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups who are UK nationals are significantly under-represented at the postgraduate researcher level. These are lawful measures designed to address systemic and structural issues which result in the under-representation of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students in PGR studies.

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