Digitizing history with AI

Gloria was a force of nature. At the age of 18, she became a parental figure to her 11 younger siblings when her mother was murdered. Gloria was a designer, a traveler, and a lifelong dancer. Her journey led her to San Francisco where she met her husband and started her own family, then to Maryland when her grandchildren were born so that she could be close to them during their formative years. She is remembered by her family as forever young at heart; the kind of grandma who might come home from a party at 2 am and buy your school shoes every August.

Gloria’s grandson Josiah Faison was named for her own great grandfather - Florida’s first Black member of Congress, Josiah T. Walls. He smiles as he remembers her.

“She loved to tell stories. She was so good at taking care of the family - she was stern, but she always made sure everyone had what they needed. Everyone - even those who weren’t really her grandchildren - called her Grandma Gloria.”

During the pandemic, separated by distance and a cancer diagnosis, Josiah realized the urgency of capturing her stories. Unfortunately, Gloria passed away before he could document her narratives.​

Determined to prevent others from experiencing the same loss, Josiah embarked on creating an app called Oria. Named after his grandmother, the platform offers "storypacks"—curated prompts across various themes like philosophy, career, and personal milestones. Users respond to these prompts, and with the aid of AI, Oria weaves their answers into comprehensive narratives, preserving the essence of their experiences.​

Josiah describes his software as Age-tech—technology designed to support the health, independence, and connection of older adults—is an emerging field gaining momentum nationwide. There is a persistent misconception that technology is progressing too quickly for older generations to keep pace. The research shows a different story: older adults are embracing tech more than ever. From telehealth platforms and fall detection devices to apps that help preserve stories or manage memory loss, Age-tech innovations are helping older adults stay connected to their families, their communities, their health, and their own sense of purpose.

In states like Iowa, where rural communities often mean distance from loved ones or health care providers, age-tech offers tools that bridge physical gaps with virtual support. For many families, it’s not just about keeping up with the latest gadget—it’s about staying connected, staying safe, and staying well.

“Oria offers the ability to preserve your own story, memories, and oral histories - but it also allows you to create an account where multiple users can come together and contribute the history of someone else in the event the person has already passed on. Previously, this was mostly accomplished in obituaries or in a physical book, but we are making it accessible to everyone. Oria is democratizing the preservation of history.”

More than just a storytelling tool, Oria serves as a bridge between generations. It empowers older adults to share their wisdom, ensuring their voices resonate with descendants they may never meet. Oria combats the isolation often felt in later years and enriches younger generations with firsthand accounts of history, resilience, and love.​

“So far people really like the app, and the idea of being able to engage with family in a new way. Oria is popular for family reunions. The ability to connect generations is really important, in a way that is almost ubiquitous among cultures around the world. We have users in India, users in indigenous communities - we can help members of the tribe stay connected as they leave the reservation, help families to maintain heritage across both generational and physical divides. With Oria, you can pass on the wisdom of generations that your children will never meet.”

Josiah is excited about partnerships that have developed with senior living communities, libraries, organizations serving those with cognitive decline, and therapy. As a young founder in his early twenties, he sees blossoming opportunities around every corner.

“ When I speak to a big crowd, I hear a lot of ‘awwwwww’ from the grandmothers in the audience. As a young team we have less distractions - no families to take care of. We can pivot quickly, do things on the fly. The biggest goal is connecting older generations to younger. There is so much information currently housed in books - and we have all intended to read a book that we then never opened. This generation grew up in the social media age; Oria is a mix between social media and historical preservation. We are so excited for where this can go.”

As we look to the future, platforms like Oria remind us of the profound impact of personal narratives. They emphasize that while technology can connect us globally, it's the intimate stories of individuals that truly bind us together. How we access and distribute these narratives is critical to how future generations will understand themselves in the larger context of history. At a time when access to information for the next generation is increasingly shaped by legislation, many families feel a growing urgency to take matters into their own hands—to decide, in their own homes, what stories, values, and truths must be passed down.

Sofia DeMartino is a Gazette editorial fellow. sofia.demartino@thegazette.com