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America’s behavioral health workforce is in crisis. Burnout is accelerating, waitlists are expanding, and clinicians are transitioning away from the field at alarming ratesnot because their passion has diminished, but because the administrative burden has become overwhelming. These departures represent one of the most significant labor challenges in our industry with its impact felt across communities nationwide. Every week, I talk to leaders running certified behavioral health agencies across the country, and their message is consistent: Leaders aren’t seeking technological disruption. They’re desperate for breathing room to retain staff, serve more clients, and maintain compliance without drowning in documentationa fundamental workforce sustainability issue. When artificial intelligence enters the conversation, many approach it with justified skepticism. This caution stems from two critical concerns: First, behavioral health has endured its share of overhyped technology that promised transformation but delivered frustration; second, and equally important, is the critical issue of regulatory compliance, privacy, and data security in this intensely regulated field. Documentation: The critical foundation for reimbursement and compliance In behavioral health, documentation forms the foundation for intake, clinical interactions, reimbursement, compliance, and broader care accountability. Providers rightfully question whether AI-generated notes (where technology assists in creating clinical documentation) will withstand audits or satisfy complex regulatory requirements. AI technology not only facilitates the creation of clinically relevant documentation but also enhances oversight capabilities and ensures full auditability of all generated content. The daily reality for most providers involves hours of note-taking, repetitive scheduling, and navigating documentation systems never designed for behavioral health’s unique compliance demands. We call this “administrative burden,” but the term fails to capture the resulting exhaustion that drives talented clinicians from the field. According to a recent study by Google Cloud and The Harris Poll, U.S. clinicians spend nearly 28 hours weekly on administrative tasksover half of their work week, with 82% reporting burnout. In behavioral health’s already resource-constrained environment, this burden often becomes the breaking point for dedicated professionals, contributing to a sector-wide labor shortage. Find solutions in thoughtful AI implementation With clinicians overwhelmed with documentation that causes burnout, behavioral health professionals need solutions that work for them. This is where carefully designed AI tools show great promise. Early AI implementations focused on documentation and administrative workflows are demonstrating measurable benefits when developed with clinician input and compliance requirements at the forefront. Organizations deploying these tools thoughtfully see tangible impact: In our current deployments, clinicians are reporting up to 80% reduction in clinical note-taking time as technology listens and drafts notes in the background. Smart assistants help staff locate resources without interrupting care. Intake workflows become more efficient, shortening the gap between a client’s first call and first session. These tools don’t put an end to compliance complexitythey help manage it while creating space for providers to be present. Care gets better when clinicians are supported I remember hearing directly from a patient that during his initial session, his provider never once made eye contact with him. Instead, they were focused on their computer, furiously typing notes and immersed in updating his electronic health record (EHR). Fortunately, thats where we repeatedly see that AI can improve care delivery. By removing needless administrative work, behavioral health clinicians have more time to form connections and spend more time with their clients, achieving better outcomes. According to our customers, 50% say they feel more connected to their clients without increasing hours and 60% say they feel more connected to their patients now that theyre not documenting during sessions. I also hear from clinicians that they see greater consistency in their care plans with fewer missed handoffs. These aren’t merely efficiency gains, but restoration of human capacity essential for building trust, ensuring continuity, and addressing complex behavioral health needsall critical factors in workforce retention. AI won’t fix everything To be clear, AI isn’t a silver bullet. It won’t resolve funding challenges, address workforce shortages, rebuild trust between providers and policymakers, or guarantee that alternative payment models work effectively for behavioral health. What it can do is create breathing room and greater capacity by providing clinicians with the margin needed to practice what they are trained for. In a field where every additional hour with a client, every prevented resignation, and every accelerated intake process can transform a life, that support matters profoundly. 3 critical elements for success For AI to deliver on its promise in behavioral health, its important to focus on three critical elements: clinical expertise driving development, seamless integration into existing workflows, and evaluation against regulatory standards. The most effective AI tools are designed with clinicians informing their development, refined with their feedback, and tested against compliance standards and regulations during audits. Behavioral health needs meaningful innovationtools that honor the work, alleviate friction, and strengthen the relationship between clinician and client. This will help preserve our essential mental health workforce to our social infrastructure Josh Schoeller is CEO of Qualifacts.
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E-Commerce
This morning, the worlds largest telescope revealed its first-ever images of spaceand theyre pretty jaw-dropping. The images come courtesy of the NSFDOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a scientific facility funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Located at the summit of Cerro Pachón in Chile, the facility is the product of more than 20 years of work. Its space cameraembedded in the hulking Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST)is about the size of a small car and includes a sensor array of 3 billion pixels, the most sensors ever used in a telescope camera. According to a press release from the Rubin Observatory, its expected to generate an ultrawide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the universe. It will bring the sky to life with a treasure trove of billions of scientific discoveries, the release reads. The images will reveal asteroids and comets, pulsating stars, supernova explosions, far-off galaxies, and perhaps cosmic phenomena that no one has seen before. The most efficient Solar System discovery machine ever built In just its first 10-hour test observation, unveiled today, the LSST managed to capture images that include millions of galaxies and Milky Way stars, as well as more than 2,000 never-before-seen asteroids within our solar system. Taken together, the photos illustrate a technicolor view of space at a mind-boggling scalebut the 10 million galaxies photographed by the LSST represent only 0.05% of the roughly 20 billion galaxies that the camera is expected to record within the next decade. The primary goal of the LSST is to complete a 10-year survey of the Southern Hemisphere sky, capturing hundreds of images and around 20 terabytes of data per night throughout that period. Per the Rubin Observatory, this massive influx of data will make the LSST the most efficient and effective solar system discovery machine ever built. All of the captured data will be made available online, allowing astronomers across the globe to access countless new findings without physical access to the telescope. The LSST is designed to advance four main areas of study: understanding the nature of dark matter and dark energy; creating an inventory of the solar system; mapping the Milky Way; and exploring the transient optical sky (studying objects that move or change in brightness). Experts predict that, given its capacity to identify millions of unseen asteroids, comets, and interstellar objects, the camera could even help protect the planet by spotting objects on a trajectory toward the Earth or moon. NSFDOE Rubin Observatory will capture more information about our universe than all optical telescopes throughout history combined, Brian Stone, chief of staff at the National Science Foundation, said in a press release. Through this remarkable scientific facility, we will explore many cosmic mysteries, including the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the universe.
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E-Commerce
This morning, the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk announced the abrupt end of its brief partnership with telehealth company Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS), citing concerns over Hims & Hers knock-off weight loss drugs. Now, Hims & Hers shares are plummeting as investors react to the news. Its the latest update in a somewhat volatile year for Hims & Hers. Just this April, the companys stock spiked after it initially announced a collaboration with Novo Nordisk that allowed Hims & Hers to sell Novo Nordisks FDA-approved weight loss drug, Wegovy, through its platform. But less than two months later, that partnership is fracturing after Novo Nordisks claim that Hims & Hers engaged in deceptive promotion and selling of illegitimate, knockoff versions of Wegovy that put patient safety at risk. At the time of this writing, HIMS stock is down 32.6% since market open. Heres what to know about the break-up: The shortage that fueled knock-off Wegovy Back in 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared a shortage of GLP-1 medications including Ozempic and Wegovy. Under this shortage notice, pharmacies were permitted to make compounded versions of the brand name drugs using their active ingredient, semaglutide, and sell them at a lower cost. Hims & Hers was one company that took part in selling a compoundedand non-FDA-approvedversion of Wegovy. Then, this February, the FDA announced that Ozempic and Wegovy were no longer categorized under a shortage. With the brand name drugs fully back on the market, the FDA gave compounders 60 to 90 days to stop making copies of the patented drugs. At the time, Hims & Hers stated in a regulatory filing that, while it saw pathways to continue offering access to certain compounded GLP-1s after the shortage, it could not “guarantee that we will be able to continue offering these products in the same manner, to the same extent, or at all.” However, an analyst told Reuters that Hims & Hers appeared poised to continue selling compounded semaglutide using personalized doses after the shortage officially ended. Why is Novo Nordisk cutting ties now? In the wake of the FDAs shortage notice, Hims & Hers announced in April that it was entering a long-term collaboration with Novo Nordisk to offer Wegovy directly to its consumers. Now, though, Novo Nordisk is breaking off the commitment over claims that Hims & Hers has not acted fast enough to stop selling its compounded GLP-1. Other telehealth companies, like Ro and Noom, have similarly faced criticism for continuing to sell their own compounded GLP-1 despite agreements with Eli Lilly, the maker of Zepbound. In an email to Fast Company, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson explained that semaglutide compounding is permitted under US compounding laws only in rare instances, adding that other companies its working with have demonstrated a good faith effort to transition patients to authentic, FDA-approved Wegovy. However, the spokesperson continued, after over one month into the collaboration, Hims & Hers Health, Inc. has failed to adhere to the law which prohibits mass sales of compounded drugs under the false guise of personalization and are disseminating deceptive marketing that puts patient safety at risk. This is unacceptable and that is why we have decided to end the collaboration. That personalization, involves offering the same drug; however, at different doses. In a press release published this morning, Novo Nordisk also noted that it is deeply concerned about knock-off drugs made with foreign illicit active pharmaceutical ingredients. Based on Novo Nordisk’s investigation, the semaglutide active pharmaceutical ingredients that are in the knock-off drugs sold by telehealth entities and compounding pharmacies are manufactured by foreign suppliers in China, the release reads. According to a report from the Brookings Institute, FDA has never authorized or approved the manufacturing processes used by any of these foreign suppliers to make semaglutide, nor has FDA ever reviewed or authorized the quality of the semaglutide they produce. Hims & Hers did not immediately respond to Fast Companys request for comment on Novo Nordisks claims. On X, Novo Nordisk CEO Andrew Dudam said “Novo Nordisks commercial team increasingly pressured us to control clinical standards and steer patients to Wegovy regardless of whether it was clinically best for patients. We refuse to be strong-armed by any pharmaceutical companys anticompetitive demands that infringe on the independent decision making of providers and limit patient choice.” He went on to say “We will continue to offer access to a range of treatments, including Wegovy, to ensure providers can serve the individual needs of patients.” We are disappointed to see Novo Nordisk management misleading the public. In recent weeks, Novo Nordisks commercial team increasingly pressured us to control clinical standards and steer patients to Wegovy regardless of whether it was clinically best for patients. We refuse to— andrewdudum (@AndrewDudum) June 23, 2025
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E-Commerce
Two of the nation’s real estate titans are on a collision course. Compass, one of the largest brokerages in the country, has filed a complaint in a New York federal court against Zillow, alleging the online behemoth is engaging in “anticompetitive tactics” and violating antitrust laws. The suit accuses Zillow of banning listings that were marketed elsewhere first, saying it has “retaliated against competitive threats by enacting an exclusionary policy.” This lawsuit is about protecting consumer choice, said Robert Reffkin, Compass founder and CEO, in a statement to Fast Company. No one company should have the power to ban agents or listings simply because they dont follow that companys business model. Consumers should have the right to choose how they sell their homes. Zillow did not respond to Fast Company’s request for comment about the suit. The faceoff between the two companies has been brewing for some time. Compass has been growing steadily, most notably with last Decembers acquisition of Christies International Real Estate in a deal worth $444 million. Earlier this year, it was also reported to be in talks to buy the real estate brokerage business of Berkshire Hathaway. Compass has been promoting its Private Exclusives and Coming Soon online listings for several months, which feature thousands of homes available only to Compass agents and their buyers. Two months ago, Zillow unveiled a new policy that any home put on the market but not made available to Zillow within 24 hours would be banned from the site. “Instead of competing on the merits for home sellers, home buyers, and the agents who work for them, Zillow has sought to rely on anticompetitive tactics to protect its monopoly and revenues in violation of the antitrust laws,” the filing reads. The suit says Zillow has become the “vital, go-to destination for consumers looking to purchase homes,” through the “relentless acquisition of competitors” and “the power of network effects.” That, Compass claims, effectively makes it a tollbooth for agents, allegedly collecting up to 40% of the buyer agent commission for referring the buyer. Additionally, it accuses Zillow of charging potential buyers to tour listed propertiessomething that is typically free. “Every time a buyer requests a tour on Zillow, Zillow redirects the buyer away from the listing agent of the property, who would not charge the buyer an incremental commission,” the lawsuit states. “Instead, Zillow directs the buyer to a Zillow-affiliated buyer agent who charges the buyer an incremental commission to show the property.” Compass argues that it and other realtors should have the right to market homes themselves, without being required to send listings to Zillow. This sometimes involves an extended “coming soon” period, which Compass says allows sellers to showcase homes before they are fully market-ready, gauge early interest, and test demandwithout increasing the “days on market” count or triggering price reductions. Zillow, in April, argued that everyone should have access to that information, citing the National Association of Realtors’ long-standing clear cooperation policy, which requires agents to list homes on their local MLS within 24 hours of beginning any public marketing. “Listings shouldnt be used as leverage to control who gets to participate in the home-buying process,” Zillow wrote when announcing the new rules. “Practices that selectively share listings create confusion, harm consumers and erode trust in the marketplace. Its a bait-and-switch move, where agents or brokerages try to get the best of both worlds.” Compass, in its lawsuit, counters this argument, saying Zillow should not be allowed to ban listings that don’t align with its business model. “Zillow is so comfortable with its size and power that it has adopted a policy that governs what other real estate companies can do on platforms other than Zillow,” the complaint reads. “It effectively is leveraging its power to promulgate and enforce industry-wide rulemaking like a government regulator, despite being a private company that does not even provide brokerage services, represent home sellers and buyers, or create the listings on which it profits.”
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E-Commerce
New York state will build a new nuclear power plant that will provide at least one gigawatt of electricityenough to power about a million homes. When announcing the project on Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said it would bring new jobs, result in more affordable electricity bills, and help provide around-the-clock power to support data centers without having to depend on fossil fuels. The plant would be the first nuclear facility built in New York state since the late 1970s and the first major U.S. plant to break ground in about 15 years. (The last nuclear plants built in the U.S., Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in Georgia, began operation in 2023 and 2024, respectively, but construction on them began in 2009.) The project comes as electricity demand is expected to soar, especially due to the increase of data centers to support AI use. Nuclear power has been seen as a clean source of 24/7 power, which wind and solar cannot provide without adequate battery storage, and also as a power source that is insulated from the volatility of oil and gas prices. But some are still concerned about nuclear powers safety. Hochul acknowledged these fears during her announcement for the new plant, pointing to the concerns and anxiety that led to the shut down of Indian Point, a nuclear power plant in Westchester County, New York. That facility was retired in 2021, but doing so turned off one-quarter of New York Citys power[which] was almost all clean energyovernight without an alternative, Hochul said. To replace that energy, New York state burned more fossil fuels, leading to a rise in emissions. There was no plan B, Hochul said, and the increase in emission is not a trade-off New York can afford to keep making. And this is not your grandparents nuclear reactor, she added, about the forthcoming project. Safety will be at the forefront of the design, she said, including automatic safety systems and rigorous environmental standards. The forthcoming nuclear power plant will provide 1,600 jobs during construction, and 1,200 permanent jobs once operational. Nuclear power is seeing a surge as the demand for electricity increases and as municipalities look to get off fossil fuels. Three Mile Island, the site of the countrys worst nuclear disaster, is set to reopen in Pennsylvania in 2028 to support Microsofts energy needs. The Trump administrations support for nuclear power is part of the presidents energy dominance agenda; Trump recently signed an executive order to expedite the licensing process for nuclear reactors. Hochul has spoken to the president about this New York nuclear project, she said, and is committed to working with the White House to build this plant. You want energy dominance. I want energy dominance. This is how we do it, she said. So with their financial planning and hopeful support, we can move as fast as possible. The average time it takes to construct a nuclear power plant is about seven years, though the process can take longer with regulatory hurdles and other financial costs. Hochul said she had suggested Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in order to make that process more efficient. There is currently no location selected for the New York nuclear power plant, though Hochul said it will be located in upstate New York. The New York Power Authority will help find a site and determine the nuclear reactors design. The state is also considering looking for private partners to help finance the plant. The number one focus of the project, Hochul said, will be customers paying their electric bills: Ratepayers must know that there’s going to be reliability, no cost escalation. And they’ll be able to see into the future what their bills will look like.
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E-Commerce
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