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Xbox biz guy deletes his X account less than 24 hours after saying game devs who don't embrace AI 'should not be in the business of being a business'
Business strategy manager Brandon Stirrup said he was "happy to take the hit" for his stance on AI, then left social media.
TSCG promotes pair to C-suite; Colliers hire chases Philadelphia business; Foundry adds World Series winner as broker
New hires, promotions and other personnel changes
Top business leaders sound the alarm over skilled worker shortage
From the people who keep us safe on the roads to those who wire our homes and are building the infrastructure powering the AI boom, America needs skilled workers. But a new report finds that the nation isn’t doing enough to keep up with demand. NBC’s Christine Romans sits down exclusively with BlackRock’s Larry Fink, Ford’s Jim Farley, Google’s Ruth Porat and Carhartt’s Linda Hubbard, who have come together with an urgent message.
How Behavioral Science Can Get Shoppers To Buy (and Eat) More Fresh Produce
Industry leaders at IFPA’s Global Produce and Floral Show revealed that overcoming flat fruit and vegetable consumption requires shifting away from clinical health messaging toward flavor-forward marketing, cultural rituals and frictionless convenience.
A blue-collar bellwether weighs ousting longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine
Voters in Lewiston helped propel Collins to victory in her last election. Some are ready for a change, but others are wary of losing Collins’ sway in the Senate.
Alabama's CFP Hopes Smacked With Jarring Reality Check
The Alabama Crimson Tide are in danger of missing the CFP.
Five takeaways from the Eagles' statement on Jalen Hurts' health
Jalen Hurts is expected to recover fully, but his extended absence forces the Eagles to reassess their quarterback plans and struggling offense
eMazzanti Technologies Named NJBIZ 2026 Business of the Year Finalist
eMazzanti Technologies, a leading Hoboken, NJ-based Cybersecurity, managed services, and digital transformation provider with a national footprint, announced today that it has been selected as a finalist in the NJBIZ 2026 Business of the Year Awards program. The recognition highlights organizations that demonstrate sustained growth, innovation, leadership, and a positive impact on New Jersey's business community. An independent panel of judges comprised of previous program honorees selected the
Delancey Street Launches Free Two-Minute Self-Assessment for Business Owners Carrying Stacked MCA Debt
Delancey Street, a New York based MCA relief company, today released a free self-assessment that shows small business owners their exposure to merchant cash advance debt in about two minutes. It requires no credit check and carries no obligation.
The Latest: Democrats gain ground with AAPI adults as trust in GOP fades, poll finds
According to a new AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander adults have become more disillusioned with President Donald Trump and Republicans as the Nov. 3 midterm elections approach, giving Democrats a substantial edge on major issues like the economy and health care
UN climate panel head wants swift end to deadlock over key scientific report
The world's top climate scientists will reconvene at the earliest opportunity, the panel's chair said on Monday, after member states failed to agree when to release its crucial new findings on global ...
Is smart farming really smart business?
From eerie driverless tractors to precision spraying and sowing, AI is transforming America’s agricultural life
Who funded Nebraska Working People, America First parties? Law doesn’t require disclosure.
Nebraska law doesn’t require new political parties to disclose their finances until they are qualified to have candidates on the ballot.
England women's coach Wiegman signs two-year contract extension
England women's head coach Sarina Wiegman has signed a two-year contract extension taking her through until the end of the 2029 women's European Championship, the Football Association announced Monday."I am so happy to be able to carry on with this squad and cannot think of a better job in football," Wiegman said Monday.
Best Bill Pay Software for Small Business (2026): Melio Selected by Better Business Advice for Streamlining Vendor Payments
Better Business Advice has published a new review of bill pay software for small businesses, selecting Melio for streamlining vendor payments through a centralized accounts payable workflow.
Nutex Health Schedules 2026 Third Quarter Financial Results Release and Conference Call
Nutex Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUTX), a physician-led, integrated healthcare delivery system comprised of 28 state-of-the-art micro hospitals and hospital outpatient departments in 12 states and primary care-centric, risk-bearing physician networks, today announced that it plans to file its Form 10-Q for the third fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, 2026, on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, after the market close. The Company will also issue a corresponding press release summarizing financial results on the same
After Isaias, Pensacola Beach is getting back to business
Pensacola Beach restaurants, bars and shops are welcoming customers again as the island recovers from Hurricane Isaias.
Lamprey Health Care and Gather launch food bus partnership
Gather's fresh food bus, known as Gus the Bus, is now making regular visits to Lamprey Health Care in Newmarket.
China’s economy grows 4.5 percent in Q3, beating forecasts
GDP growth picks up from Q2 amid AI-driven boom in exports.
Democrats gain ground with AAPI adults as trust in Republicans fades, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll finds
A new AP-NORC/AAPI data poll finds that Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander adults have become more disillusioned with President Donald Trump and Republicans as the midterm elections approach
Sunday Night Football: Packers move to 4-2 with 23-13 victory over Cowboys
Green Bay has won three games in a row after a strong defensive performance against Dallas on Sunday night.
Faith and fury: Texas Senate rivals offer contrasting visions
One preaches love and reconciliation.He defeated the more combative congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary, promising a "politics of love."
Hawaii Business Magazine to host Wahine Forum women’s leadership conference
Hawaii Business Magazine is hosting its Wahine Forum Friday, Oct. 23 – an annual leadership and career development conference featuring women leaders from across the country.
Obama calls Trump officials’ investigation of Ilhan Omar ‘appalling’
The former president posted a lengthy statement calling President Donald Trump’s treatment of Ilhan Omar a “transparent” effort to intimidate her.
DR Congo’s fast-moving Ebola outbreak spreads to eighth province
The Health Ministry has recorded two cases, including one death, in Nord-Ubangi province. Both people were men in their 20s, the ministry said.
Katseye On Being Victoria’s Secret Performers, Their LA Faves & Erewhon Orders
NYLON talks to girl group Katseye before their Victoria's Secret fashion show performance about their day-of prep, LA routines, and earliest VS Show memories.
'Street Fighter' wins N. America box office, buzzy doc stuns in 2nd
Paramount's action film "Street Fighter" karate-chopped the competition this weekend with a $31 million debut at the North American box...
Streaming’s Biggest Show Returns…and a Buzzy Genre Struggles
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Obviously, the big news of the week (if not month) is Netflix letting go of executive Bela Bajaria, their chief content officer. I’m going to cover this in my next “Most Important Story of the Week”, but I also have a data angle that I might publish before then. (Too much news this month, am I right?) But first, I have a bonus Streaming Ratings Report issue for you. Today’s article is a bit of a grab bag of topics I’ve wanted to write about, but couldn’t squeeze into the (already very long) Streaming Ratings Report issues. The NFL drives huge viewership numbers, so I’ve got a look at that. A whole bunch of TV shows returned to the traditional broadcast channels, and I have thoughts. And I have a quick look at adult animated shows, since a couple flopped earlier this month. Plus, the Emmys aired earlier this month, and we got some fun data bout how popular those nominated shows are and why I’m not optimistic about the show’s future. That’s a lot, so let’s dive right in. Subscribe Sports - Football Remains the King of Streaming Over the last two Streaming Ratings Reports, I sorta ignored the biggest “show” each week. (I was tempted to say “piece of content” but I know that word bugs folks.) In my database, I call these “specials”, and they sure are special. I speak of the king of American TV: football!!! Streaming football is back and, unlike some other sports, it routinely dominates all viewership. Probably the best way to show this is to update one of my favorite graphics, the “40 Million Hour Club”1 since football games have joined that club each week they’ve premiered: (Yep, that’s the data through 28-Sep, the first four weeks of the season. As a reminder, I take the average minute audience provided by Nielsen, factor out a percentage of linear TV viewers in home markets, and multiply the run time by the three-hour runtime.) Again, the numbers are huge. Let’s start with Netflix. They grabbed the rights to the bonus opening week NFL Kickoff game (which was on YouTube last year) and it put up 18.5 million viewers on average. That nets out to 47.4 million hours of estimated streaming hours. That’s good! Though, notably, it’s well below Christmas Day games from previous years. Compared to other streamers/broadcasters, that’s a bit of a mixed result. On one hand, Netflix’s 18.5 million average is about what YouTube claimed last year, though Nielsen used a bespoke methodology at that time, so I trust this viewership figure more. So that’s good. (The game also shifted from a Friday to a Thursday and that could have helped the viewership as well.) And Netflix continues to best Prime Video in total viewership—as you’ll see next—though Netflix has had much higher-profile (opening week and Christmas Day) games. NBC/Peacock’s opening game the night before averaged 25.1 million average viewers, which is just much bigger than Netflix (or Prime Video). That’s the big caveat to all streaming viewership records: even in success, they can’t compete with traditional linear TV. Previously, I called this my “hierarchy of viewership”, and the data keeps supporting that thesis. The downside for NBC is that this game’s viewership was down compared to previous years, though it may be a counting issue. Here’s a great chart from Sports Media Watch: Indeed, looking at all the opening week games across all windows, Netflix still lags the other primetime windows, but does well compared to the afternoon games: I saw a few folks make the case that streamers still lag traditional broadcasters in reach, and I’d add they really lag compared to “broadcast plus streaming” options like NBC/Peacock, ESPN/Disney+ and CBS/Paramount+. The best data I saw for this came from Samba TV, who charted reach through the 2025 season, and, wow. (Samba TV’s numbers are historically lower than Nielsen’s, so don’t compare their household figures to Nielsen’s hours, but use them as a proxy for the relative reach of the streamers.) The good news is Prime Video is NOT having a down year. Their opening Thursday Night Football game reached 18.6 million viewers (about what Netflix got), but that’s a high for Prime Video on Thursdays and the biggest Thursday night game since 2015. The TNF games the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep continued this streak, getting 43.1 (16.8 million average viewers) and 42.5 total hours (16.6 million average viewers), which were both up from last year. Still, that continues the (typical) season slide: (For those new-to-streaming-football-numbers folks, the viewership declines for Thursday Night Football as the year goes along.) Overall, it appears as if Prime Video is now part of the “football habit”, be it for customers at home or out at places like bars and restaurants. And its viewership is slowly catching up to broadcast. One last chart shows this. Last season, Nielsen started adding out-of-home viewership to the charts, so I try not to do season-to-season comparisons as I did for the first few years. And while Nielsen added Big Data viewing this year, I’m going to compare the last two seasons. Here’s that chart, which shows the season-over-season gains: When it comes to streaming football, we have to keep a few seemingly contradictory thoughts in our head… First, streaming doesn’t come close to matching broadcast’s reach and, thus, viewership. Second, even with that gap, football is still the biggest “thing” on streaming. It’s very, very popular. Third, while some methodology changes have likely helped Prime Video’s numbers, their viewership does appear to be growing. Lastly, yeah, the NFL started the season off poorly, with week one dragging down the numbers in year-over-year comparisons. However—and again, methodology changes may have helped this—the viewership grew compared to previous seasons over the next couple of weeks. So football is still king. On streaming and off. Television - Adult Animation Continues to NOT Make the Streaming Charts In the last two reports, two adult-animated shows whiffed: Netflix’s animated comedy, Dang! Paramount+’s Sega-video-game-inspired fantasy/comedy, Golden Axe. Neither made the charts, but that’s usually the case for animated shows. I mean, here’s literally every animated show that’s made the Nielsen Original charts since the start of 2025: And one of those shows is G_abby’s Dollhouse_! A kids show! The problem with charts like this is that they don’t give you a sense of how many shows miss the charts. Netflix had at least eleven animated flops, including comedies like Big Mouth (a show everyone assumed was popular in the pre-Streaming Ratings Era), Long Story Short, Haunted Hotel, Mating Season, Strip Law, and Alley Cats, and action shows like Blood of Zeus, Castlevania: Nocturne, Devil May Cry, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Prime Video had at least six animated misses, two in the same universe (Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss), three more comedies (#1 Happy Family USA, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy and Kevin) and an action show (The Mighty Nein). Disney+ had MCU and Star Wars animated misses (Eyes of Wakanda, Marvel Zombies, Star Wars: Visions, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, and Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld) but I can’t tell how many of those shows were geared towards adults. HBO Max had Harley Quinn and Hulu had Solar Opposites. None of these shows made the charts! That’s a lot of misses! If I remade the chart with all those misses, here’s how it would look: Listen, I know the counter arguments. First, it’s cheaper to produce animated shows than live action. Fair enough, but with viewership this low, even that cheaper price point starts to not matter. Second, just look at the acquired charts. Hit animated comedies can generate viewership for years! Shows like The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers do really, really well. Fair enough, but streaming has failed to recreate the dynamic that Fox has mastered so well. That’s a problem for streaming still. Television - Emmys! The annual Emmys broadcast was a few weeks ago, and I’ve got data on how the nominees performed on streaming, plus hot takes on this year’s viewership (and the big news about the broadcast’s, er, streamcast’s future). We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… The top Emmy-nominated shows… ...why I’m worried about the future of the Emmys telecast... ...the pros of broadcast television ...and the cons... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue (since the weeks of 21-Sep and 28-Sep were so light), but then I’ll be all caught up after a deluge of streaming ratings data from Nielsen in September. In the meantime, I’m going to try to take a look at Netflix’s stats to explain why Bela Bajaria is out. But even light weeks give me plenty to talk about. The Great British Baking Show returns to Netflix and Apple TV has a buzzy new star-studded comedy. And Netflix has a controversial-but-appears-to-be-popular new game show. Plus big films like Toy Story 5, Backrooms and The Breadwinner head to streaming. And is East of Eden a hit? After that, The Kardashians return to Hulu, Prime Video has a reboot of Carrie, and Netflix has a horror show, Below. Disclosure Day heads to Peacock, The Housemaid heads to HBO Max_,_ a new Ben Affleck film, Animals, lands on Netflix, and Apple TV has a new John Cena action film based on, checks notes, Hasbro’s Matchbox toys. Okay. Longterm, some interesting TV production news. HBO Max ordered How to Survive Without Me, starring Kaley Cuoco, Joshua Jackson, Ray Romano and Rita Wilson, for fifteen episodes! I love that some streamers (or, at least, HBO Max) are finally ordering TV shows with more than eight episodes. In less wise production news, Landman does not appear to be coming back this year, since it just started production. Frankly, I don’t love this (get your shows out on time) but Landman is so popular, I doubt it matters.
Macron faces political firestorm after riots
Worst street violence in years comes six months ahead of one of Europe’s most closely watched elections
Massachusetts Republican lieutenant governor candidate suspends campaign after OUI arrest
Police said Shawn Oliver’s vehicle overturned after hitting five parked vehicles, two of which were extensively damaged.
‘The Field Is Atrocious,’ ‘Risking Players’ Health’ — Super Bowl Champion, NFL Fans Rip Playing Surface in London for Jaguars-Texans Game
The NFL’s 2026 international series has gotten off to a solid start, with games in Australia and Brazil followed by two matchups in London. Now, the fifth international game of the season, and third in London, features the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium in Week 6.
Former NFL Quarterback B.J. Daniels Supports Student-Athletes with Their Mental Health Struggles, Says ‘It’s OK to Not Be OK’
“Asking for help doesn’t make you less of an athlete,” Daniels said following an event in Florida on Oct. 9
Oblivion Remastered Mod Built Using Claude AI Boosts FPS By Over 40% And Drastically Reduces Stuttering Without Sacrificing Visual Quality.
AI-assisted mod Oblivion Remastered Performance Fix boosts FPS by over 40% while enhancing visuals on Ryzen 7 5800X/RX 9070 XT systems.
Allison Williams Says There Is ‘a Science’ to Buying a Kids’ Halloween Costume as a Parent (Exclusive)
The actress shares a 4-year-old son, Arlo, with husband Alexander Dreymon
To fix California, make its politicians afraid to lose
The state has the nation’s largest homeless population and some of its most expensive housing — yet incumbents rarely pay a price. A slew of new parties is the answer.
Poll: Americans are anxious, pessimistic and deeply unhappy with Trump ahead of the midterms
The share of Americans who believe the country is on the wrong track is at the highest level of the president’s second term, according to the NBC News Decision Desk Poll.
U.S. taking Putin’s side would be a ‘historic mistake,’ says Zelenskyy
The Ukrainian leader told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Ukrainian officials believe the decision to limit Starlink, imposed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, came from the U.S. government.
Daredevil Jumped 25,000 Feet Without a Parachute. Now He Wants to Leap from Space: ‘That’s the Dream, the Drop-the-Mic Thing’
“Impossible is just an opinion,” said Luke Aikins, who hopes to jump from a rocket 330,000 feet above Earth
‘They Want to Get Into the Taylor Swift Business’ — Media Analyst ‘Rationalizes’ Travis Kelce Possibly Coming in as Troy Aikman’s ESPN Replacement
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce re-signed with the franchise this offseason, and the Chiefs have come flying out of the blocks to a 4-0 record. Once the current season ends, however, there is some speculation about where Kelce may head next, particularly if it comes to a role in the broadcasting booth.
Huge exit: The Israeli company sold for $6.3b.
Cybersecurity company Proofpoint will acquire Israeli information security firm Varonis Systems in a massive deal.
‘Astounded’: DOJ vets shocked by timing of Ilhan Omar search
The investigation into a longtime Trump target just weeks before the election broke long-standing Justice Department traditions
Children learn about nuclear science as they trick-or-treat through Fall Fission Fest
AIKEN — Children dressed in Halloween costumes filled a downtown parkway Oct. 17, learning about nuclear science and even wielding Geiger counters at the SRS Heritage Foundation’s fourth Fall Fission ...
Guatemalan former prosecutor shot dead at sports centre
Guatemalan police say they arrested two men in connection with the killing of Juan Francisco Solorzano Foppa.
Penguins Go Bust in Vegas
LAS VEGAS — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ (3-5-1) season is slipping and sliding away. After a boisterous 2-0-0 start, the Penguins […]
Rays defeat Guardians to level MLB playoff series
The Tampa Bay Rays scored a series-leveling 7-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday to reignite their dream of a first World Series crown.Tampa Bay -- one of only five Major League Baseball teams never to win a World Series title -- squared their best-of-seven American League Championship series at 2-2 with a gutsy victory in Cleveland.
Asian Para Games opening ceremony; ISL, APL continue: Indian Sports LIVE, October 18
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on October 18, 2026.
Musk back in the spotlight, but politics dims the awe
With a sports car that somersaults through the air, Elon Musk is back in the headlines for technological daring -- but his plunge into politics and his return to US President Donald Trump's side mean ...
Graham breaks with Trump over Russia sanctions law her brother championed
Darline Graham has only been a senator for a few months, but she has cited her role in passing the sanctions package, a major part of her brother’s legacy, as a top achievement.
Scaler Wave (@scalerwave)
How’s that “science” workin’ out for ya? -“Outside of running, Yoo was a graduate student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, where she researched AI semiconductors. She shared her training and race results online and built an audience of thousands who admired how she balanced demanding research with serious endurance running. In March, she completed the full Seoul Marathon in 2 hours, 56 minutes and 32 seconds, finishing under the three-hour mark. No cause of death has been made public.” Odd….
PG&E power shutoff impacts Morro Bay-area residents and businesses
"I was concerned for my neighbors because I'm only 67 and I'm a youngster in this area,” said a resident at Silver City in Morro Bay. The mobile home park was part of a Public Safety Power Shutoff.
Readers Write: Political ads, sexual violence, the demise of Hourcar, letter writing
These ad makers must think our brains are mush.
Intel "Razor Lake-AX" to Pack 700 TOPS of AI Compute
Intel's senior vice president, Cho Min-sung, announced at the Semiconductors Powering Humanoids summit in South Korea that the next-generation "Razor Lake-AX" platform will be a computing powerhouse, featuring 700 TOPS of AI compute on die. This means that at INT8/FP8 precision, "Razor Lake-AX"...
Criminal Justice Reform Isn’t Dead, Despite GOP Attack Ads
A familiar tough-on-crime election strategy is making a comeback, even as Republican and Democratic lawmakers keep passing reforms across the country.
The 10 best final girls in horror movie history, ranked
From Sidney Prescott in ‘Scream’ to Selena in ‘28 Days Later,’ these final girls did more than survive — they fought back and became horror legends. Here are our 10 favorites, ranked.
Two weeks from Election Day, Texas Republicans start finger-pointing ahead of potential losses
Deep divisions within the party afflict Texas Republicans as they move into the midterms.
New Survey Reveals What Pet Parents Do for Their Dogs' Health
How much would you do for your dog? A recent Tractor Supply Co. survey sought to answer this question. They surveyed 2,035 dog parents and 50 veterinary professionals in the United States, and discove...
Trump suspends new Russia sanctions following deal to purchase diesel, citing ‘national interests’
Passed by Congress with bipartisan support, the sanctions were intended to limit Russia’s revenue streams as the country continues its war against Ukraine.
Inter Kashi vs Odisha FC, NorthEast United vs Kerala Blasters in ISL; Preliminary rounds in Asian Para Games: Indian Sports LIVE, October 17
Here are all the updates from Indian sports on October 17, 2026.
BEFORE THE ROAR: LSU returns home to welcome Mississippi State
LSU needs to get back in the win column to hold on to CFP hopes.
Nebraska Black Maternal Health Month marks 5 years with an exhibit uplifting community midwifery care
Nebraska Black Maternal Health Month marks 5 years with an exhibit uplifting midwifery and community-based care for Black mothers.
'AI slop' or a boost for business?: How online AI promos are changing jobs in Sarpy County
As small businesses turn to generative AI for labels, menus and advertising, an Omaha-area graphic designer says the technology is reducing opportunities for human creatives.
Smears, confusion and white powder: a week in the US midterm campaign
This week in US politics, a candidate with the flu fell victim to a false rumor, a campaign ad aired in the wrong city, and packages with suspicious powder were mailed to election officials. Packages ...
‘Whalefall’ ending explained: Who survives? What happened on the boat? How does it differ from the book?
Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin star in Whalefall, a heart-racing thriller based on Daniel Kraus’ novel. Who survives? What happened on the boat? How does it differ from the book? Here’s the answers.
Timothy Busfield child sex abuse charges thrown out, judge orders
A New Mexico judge tosses out the multiple child sex abuse charges that actor Timothy Busfield had been facing.
Tech stocks erase $1 trillion of wealth as oil surges to $110 for the first time since May
The sharp drop in tech shares came as concerns resurfaced about ballooning AI debt, rising interest rates and high gas prices.
Apple blames ‘extraordinary’ demand as foldable iPhones sell out
Deliveries of the $2,000 Duo slip to 2027 within hours of going on sale
Democratic Senate candidates swamp GOP rivals in fundraising: From the Politics Desk
Plus, tensions boil over on the debate stage.
73+ brands dropped new products this month — these are the ones our editors already love from Away, Kindle and more
Amazon’s most itty-bitty e-reader is officially here, along with an automatic pour-over machine from Breville and a Nutrofol hair serum to get rid of split ends.
Cook Political Report moves 11 House races towards Democrats as Trump continues campaigning
The non-partisan Cook Political Report moves nearly a dozen races toward Democrats with less than three weeks before the election. NBC’s Monica Alba and Garrett Haake report on President Trump's campaign trip to Georgia and Cook Political Report’s Erin Covey joins to discuss the rating shifts.
How Rockmaster Entertainment Group tailors DJ services to every single need on Coast Live
Marshall Everett, VP of Entertainment for Rockmaster Entertainment Group, shares how the company helps create memorable events of all kinds with professional service, flexibility, trust & dedication.
Katie Zacharia is out as White House press secretary after just 5 days on the job
Zacharia had come under scrutiny after a shaky first news briefing and the revelation that she represented herself as a lawyer but did not pass her bar exam after law school.
“Baby Brain” During Pregnancy: What Science Says About Forgetfulness
Discover new research into pregnancy-related forgetfulness, how hormones may affect memory and practical ways expectant parents can cope.
Science Museum of Virginia Opens “Rescue” Exhibit
Watch Virginia This Morning each weekday from 9 to 10 a.m. Find the show on Facebook and Instagram at @VirginiaThisMorning.
NBA tells sportsbooks to ban certain bets and parlays: report
The NBA told sportsbook partners in a Friday memo to ban certain types of bets and parlays this season that gamblers used in recent wagering scandals, ESPN reported."There's a balance between ensuring that we are removing problematic bet types but also ensuring that we don't just move activity into the illegal market," NBA executive vice president Scott Kaufman-Ross told ESPN. "Where we landed right now, we think, is the right balance of those two objectives."
Burgers, Hugo Spritzes & Global Domination With Say Now
NYLON talks to girl group Say Now about their next EP, 'Say What You See,' their viral song "Met My Match," their childhoods, and dreams of pop stardom.
Dealroom.co | Parkview Health to acquire Ovation Healthcare in rural care push
What's the deal? Parkview Health has signed an agreement to acqu…
Mike Rogers: Media Q&A at Detroit business luncheon
Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers joined the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 16, and took questions from the media before the event.
WHO scales up Ebola readiness in 22 countries across three continents
The World Health Organization (WHO) is strengthening Ebola preparedness amid conflict and displacement affecting millions of lives in a region that spans parts of Africa, Asia and Europe.
NCAA sues Ohio gov. over eligibility order for 5th-year athletes
The NCAA has filed a federal lawsuit against Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine three days after he signed an executive order giving the state's colleges and universities the option of allowing athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 to play a fifth year.
Lisandro Martínez's future at Manchester United uncertain after board criticism
Manchester United currently occupies 13th place in the Premier League with six points from six matches, having won only two of nine games this season.This decline in form, which includes a five-game ...
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.