They did not wait for permission. They learned skills, then created something meaningful. And they are not alone.

Each year, nearly 800,000 people discover new possibilities through Senior Planet from AARP, a digital community that empowers older adults to build technology skills, offering courses on everything from cloud storage to artificial intelligence. Stories like theirs challenge a persistent myth about technology: that older adults are reluctant to embrace it.

Across the country, older people are using technology to strengthen friendships, manage our health, grow careers and launch businesses. Seventy-three percent of adults 50-plus say technology makes life easier, and last year we spent $756 per person on personal devices.

A recent AARP-LinkedIn study shows adults 50-plus are rapidly expanding their tech skills in the workplace, particularly in artificial intelligence, where their rate of growth is outpacing that of younger employees.

Sometimes these new skills help people stay competitive in the careers they love. And sometimes they inspire people to create new opportunities. Jacquelyn Thomas, 63, never imagined she’d start a technology nonprofit. Yet she founded Kids N Technology to equip underserved young people with STEM skills. What began as a passion for learning evolved into a mission to help the next generation.

Michael Rosedale, 71, saw one of those needs while advising clients as a CPA. Many had complicated questions about Social Security but few answers. So he cofounded the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts (RSSA), a technology and training service that helps people understand Social Security options.

Today RSSA is part of the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP, a global ecosystem of start-ups, investors and companies working to accelerate technology that improves how we age.

AARP launched the collaborative because even as adults 50-plus embrace technology, 60 percent say much of it still is not designed with them in mind. Closing that design gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity for innovation.

At AARP, we believe technology should help people live healthier, better and more connected lives. That is why we work to ensure stories like Debbie’s, Yuko’s, Jacquelyn’s and Michael’s become the norm.

We advocate to expand broadband access and work with entrepreneurs through the AgeTech Collaborative to ensure technology reflects the needs of adults 50-plus.

So follow your curiosity wherever it leads. When more people feel confident stepping into the digital world, the future becomes richer for all of us.