Lewis Dickson, a 78-year-old retired technology consultant, demonstrates how age is no barrier to mastering the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and software development. With a career spanning decades, including work at IBM in the late 1970s and technology consulting for a Fortune 500 company until 2024, Dickson remains engaged and enthusiastic about emerging tech trends.
Now in semi-retirement, he describes technology as a source of enjoyment rather than work. When ChatGPT was released, he quickly explored its capabilities, and more recently, he has adopted vibe coding—a method that allows users to build applications without deep backend programming. Dickson found Emergent’s platform particularly accessible because it provides an integrated stack, enabling him to develop apps independently.
He started with simple projects but has since created over a dozen vibe-coded applications. Among his latest work includes two applications developed for an automated external defibrillator (AED) company, designed to extract data from the company’s current camera provider and respond to voice queries about AED status through a web app.
Dickson challenges the stereotype that older individuals are slow to adapt to new technology, attributing his ability to keep pace with younger tech professionals to his extensive background in both hardware and software. Starting as a ham radio operator using Morse code, he has witnessed and adapted to the evolution of communication technology over the decades.
He also emphasizes the value of experience in applying AI strategically, not only technically. For Dickson, retirement has not diminished his purpose; rather, his passion for technology keeps him actively learning and contributing.
In addition to his own projects, Dickson dedicates time to teaching AI concepts to seniors in assisted living centers. One of his students, a 100-year-old woman named Sue, prompted him to create an educational video tracing technology from vacuum tubes to transistors to aid understanding. His classes have empowered seniors to manage their community newsletters with AI assistance, utilize AI for shopping and research, and identify plants and birds through AI apps.
By staying current through online platforms such as YouTube and social media, Dickson continues to explore the unfolding developments in AI, demonstrating that an interest in technology can span all ages and stages of life.
