Technology
Rad Power Bikes files for bankruptcy protection
Rad Power Bikes, the once dominant electric bicycle brand in the US, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week as it seeks to sell of its company. The move comes less than a month after Rad Power said it could not afford to recall its older e-bike batteries that had been designated a fire risk by the US Consumer Protection Safety Commission.
The bankruptcy, which was first reported by Bicycle Retailer, was filed in US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Washington, near the company’s headquarters in Seattle. Rad Power lists its estimated assets at $32.1 million and estimated liabilities at $72.8 million. Its inventory of e-bikes, spare parts, and accessories is listged at $14.2 million, Bicycle Retailer says.
It’s a stunning reversal for the once leading e-bike company in the US. Mike Radenbaugh founded the company in 2015 after several years of selling custom-made e-bikes to customers on the West Coast. Rad Power quickly grew to over 11 distinct models, including the fat-tire RadRover, the long-tail RadWagon, and the versatile RadRunner. Rad Power Bikes raised an approximate total of $329 million across several funding rounds, primarily in 2021, with major investments from firms like Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, and T. Rowe Price.
But in the wake of the post-covid bike boom, things started to go south. There were supply chain disruptions, safety recalls, several rounds of layoffs, and executive turnover. Last month, Rad Power said it was facing “significant financial challenges” that could lead to its imminent closure without a cash infusion.
The CPSC warning apparently was the nail in the coffin. The company’s older batteries could “unexpectedly ignite and explode,” the agency warned, citing 31 fires, including 12 reports of property damage totaling $734,500. There weren’t any injuries, but the company said it couldn’t afford a costly recall.
Rad Power could still live on if its able to find a buyer for its assets and brand. Dutch e-bike make VanMoof was able to find a buyer following its 2023 bankruptcy. And Belgium’s Cowboy is in talks to be acquired by a French holding company of several bike brands. Rad Power will continue to operate as it restructures its debts under court supervision, and in a statement to Bicycle Retailer said it will continue to sell bikes and work with customers and vendors as it moves forward with the process.
Technology
Microsoft starts removing Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps
Microsoft is starting to remove “unnecessary” Copilot buttons from its Windows 11 apps. In the latest version of the Notepad app for Windows Insiders, Microsoft has removed the Copilot button in favor of a “writing tools” menu. The Copilot button in the Snipping Tool app also no longer appears when you select an area to capture.
The change is part of “reducing unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets and Notepad,” that Microsoft promised to complete as part of its broader plan to fix Windows 11. While Copilot buttons are being removed, it looks like the underlying AI features are here to stay, though.
The Copilot button has been removed from Notepad, but the writing tools replacement still uses AI-powered features and looks like the identical menu of options that existed before. I still think these features are largely unnecessary in what’s supposed to be a lightweight text app, but removing the superfluous Copilot branding is a good first step.
Technology
AI chatbots refilling psych meds sparks debate
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If you have ever waited weeks just to renew a mental health prescription, you already know how frustrating the system can feel. Now imagine handling that refill through a chatbot instead of a doctor.
That kind of thing is already starting to happen. In Utah, a new pilot program is allowing an artificial intelligence system from Legion Health to renew certain psychiatric medications without direct approval from a physician each time. State officials say this could speed things up and reduce costs.
Many psychiatrists are not convinced. They are asking whether this actually solves the problem it claims to fix.
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AMAZON HEALTH AI BRINGS A DOCTOR TO YOUR POCKET
Utah launches AI chatbot to renew select psychiatric prescriptions, raising questions about safety and oversight. (pocketlight/Getty Images)
How the AI prescription system works
Before this starts sounding like a robot psychiatrist, the program stays tightly limited. The AI only renews a short list of lower-risk medications that a doctor has already prescribed. These include commonly used antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft and Wellbutrin.
To qualify, patients must meet strict requirements. You need to be stable on your current medication. Recent dosage changes or a psychiatric hospitalization will disqualify you. You also need to check in with a healthcare provider after a set number of refills or within a certain time frame.
During the process, the chatbot asks about symptoms, side effects and warning signs such as suicidal thoughts. If anything raises concern, it sends the case to a real doctor before approving a refill. According to an agreement filed with Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, the pilot includes strict safeguards, including human review thresholds and automatic escalation for higher-risk cases. The system cannot prescribe new medications or manage drugs that require close monitoring. As a result, it leaves out many complex conditions from the pilot.
Why some experts are pushing back
Even with those guardrails, many psychiatrists are uneasy. Brent Kious, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine, has questioned whether AI systems like this actually solve the access problem they are designed to address.
He has suggested that the benefits of an AI-based refill system may be overstated, especially since patients must already be stable and under care to qualify. Kious has also raised concerns about how much these systems rely on self-reported answers. Patients may not recognize side effects, may answer inaccurately, or may adjust their responses to get the outcome they want.
He has further questioned whether current AI tools can safely handle even routine parts of psychiatric care, noting that treatment decisions often depend on factors that go beyond simple screening questions. He has also pointed to a lack of transparency in how these systems operate, which can make it harder for doctors and patients to fully trust them.
HEALTHCARE DATA BREACH HITS SYSTEM STORING PATIENT RECORDS
A new pilot program allows AI to handle some mental health medication refills without direct doctor approval. (Sezeryadigar/Getty Images)
The promise behind the technology
Supporters of the program are focused on access. A lot of people in Utah still struggle to get mental health care. Wait times can stretch for weeks. In some areas, there simply are not enough providers available. The idea is that AI can take care of routine refill requests so doctors have more time to focus on patients with more complex needs. That could help take some pressure off the system. Legion Health is also leaning into convenience. The service is expected to cost about $19 a month and is designed to make refills quicker and easier for patients who qualify. From a big-picture view, that could help. From a patient’s point of view, the tradeoff may feel a little more complicated. We reached out to Legion Health for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
What this means to you
If you rely on mental health medication, this kind of system could change how you manage your care. You may be able to get refills more quickly if your condition is stable and your treatment plan is not changing. At the same time, this does not replace your doctor. It does not handle new diagnoses or complex decisions. It also adds another layer between you and your care. Instead of a conversation, you are interacting with a system that depends on how you answer a series of questions. Mental health treatment often depends on small details. Changes in mood, sleep or behavior can matter more than a simple yes or no response. That is where some experts believe human care still has a clear advantage.
The bigger question about AI in healthcare
This pilot is only one step in a much larger shift. Utah is already experimenting with AI in other areas of healthcare. Companies like Legion are signaling plans to expand beyond a single state. What starts with simple refills could eventually move into more complex decisions. That is where the conversation becomes more urgent. Is this a practical way to improve access to care, or does it risk reducing something deeply personal into a transaction driven by software?
HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE
Psychiatrists question whether AI prescription refills address access issues or create new risks for patients. (SDI Productions/Getty Images)
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Kurt’s key takeaways
There is no question that access to mental health care needs improvement. Long wait times and limited availability are real problems that affect millions of people. AI may help in specific situations, especially when the task is routine and the patient is stable. Still, convenience should not be confused with quality. For now, this system is narrow in scope and closely monitored. That makes it easier to test. It also highlights how early we are in this transition. The technology will continue to evolve. The real question is whether the safeguards, oversight and transparency will evolve at the same pace.
Would you feel comfortable letting a chatbot handle part of your mental health care, or is that a line you do not want technology to cross? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Technology
ChatGPT has a new $100 per month Pro subscription
OpenAI has announced a new version of its ChatGPT Pro subscription that costs $100 per month. The new Pro tier offers “5x more” usage of its Codex coding tool than the $20 per month Plus subscription and “is best for longer, high-effort Codex sessions,” OpenAI says.
The company is introducing the new tier as it tries to win over users from Anthropic and its popular Claude Code tool. ChatGPT’s $100 per month option will directly compete with Anthropic’s “Max” tier for Claude, which costs the same price. It also offers a middle ground between the $20 per month Plus tier and the $200 version of the Pro tier.
(Yes, there are now two tiers of “Pro”; while the new tier “still offers access to all Pro features,” OpenAI says that the more expensive one has even higher usage limits.)
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Plus will “will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use.” OpenAI also offers an $8 per month Go tier and a free tier.
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