Application of artificial intelligence in geriatric infection: recent advances and prospects.

BACKGROUND: As global population aging accelerates, infectious diseases in older adults have emerged as a growing public health burden with substantial clinical, economic, and societal implications. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) offers a transformative opportunity to enhance the management of infections in this vulnerable population. METHODS: This review delineates key determinants specific to geriatrics that influence infection susceptibility and atypical presentation, including age-related organ dysfunction, immunosenescence, inflammaging, chronic comorbidities, and psychosocial factors, and summarizes the recent advances in AI applications across the management for infectious diseases in older adults. RESULTS: AI has made significant progress in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases in older adults: early detection of clinical deterioration, rapid and etiologically precise diagnosis, individualized therapeutic optimization, AI-facilitated antimicrobial stewardship, and accelerated discovery of novel antimicrobial strategies. CONCLUSION: AI shows great potential in helping prevent, diagnose, and treat infections in older adults, and represents a promising complement to traditional care approaches.