As China faces the growing societal challenge of population aging, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are increasingly being explored as tools to support elderly care. The purposes of this study are: (1) To review and consolidate the relevant research domains from the past three years concerning the application of AI to elderly populations; (2) To categorize these studies and conduct a SWOT analysis for each category; (3) To propose future research trends and suggestions for further studies on the application of AI in elderly care. This study presents a comprehensive review of research from 2023 to 2025 on AI applications for older adults in mainland China. By synthesizing 188 publications sourced from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the study identifies key trends, domains of application, and emerging concerns. Following a systematic screening process, 61 high-relevance studies were selected and categorized into six primary domains: government policy (7 studies), healthcare and disease prediction (27), ethical issues (4), emotional support (5), cognitive learning (5), and AI-assisted daily living services (13). These categories reflect the increasing diversity and specialization of AI’s role in addressing the multifaceted needs of aging populations. The study applies a SWOT analysis to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats present in each domain, while a PEST framework (Political, Economic, Social, Technological) is employed to anticipate future development trends. Key findings highlight the growing integration of AI into health management, caregiving, and emotional support—driven in part by advancements in generative AI. This study underscores the need for future studies to focus on ethical concerns, personalized service design, and strategies to overcome digital inequality. Ensuring that older adults can equitably benefit from AI innovations is critical to building inclusive and effective eldercare ecosystems.