As populations age and caregiver-to-patient ratios plummet, nations are increasingly turning to AI systems to assume not just tasks, but decision-making roles and even emotional labor. This talk explores the rise of digital proxies—agents that act on our behalf, hold authority, and mediate care—and the profound design challenges they pose. How do we design systems that make us more humane when there are fewer humans? Drawing on emerging work in HCI and human-centered AI, I’ll argue for a design agenda around delegation, trust, and vulnerability. We’ll examine questions from decision support to surrogate decision-making, personalization to autonomy, and reflect on what “self-shifting” means in an era when care itself is increasingly automated.


About the speaker
With over 15 years of industry and research experience, Pin Sym specialises in designing systems that become proactive partners for healthy longevity and chronic disease management. Her work focuses on "Designing for the Sensitive," developing digital ecosystems that respect the complex values of patients and caregivers. From exploring engagement tools for dementia care (AVEID, VITA) to pioneering value-sensitive agentic AI (HOPE, Careverse), she strives to meet the urgent need for human-centric AI to impact aging populations and support the caregiving workforce.

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