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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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Apple’s entry-level MacBook Pro could be up for a redesign
Apple is working on a “revamped” version of its entry-level MacBook Pro that it could launch as soon as the first half of 2027, Bloomberg reports. The company is also testing four new iPad Pros that are set to launch in the spring with a focus on “internal improvements.”
The updated MacBook Pro, which will keep the 14-inch screen size, will have a design that’s “in line” with what Apple is planning for the touch screen MacBooks it also has in the works, Bloomberg says. Those new touch screen laptops are set to be released between “the end of this year and early next year,” and Bloomberg has previously reported that they will get a Dynamic Island-like pill at the top of the screen.
Apple last updated the base MacBook Pro in October with an M5 chip bump. The company is working on an M6 processor, and Bloomberg says that Apple “finished work months ago” a different base MacBook Pro upgrade that keeps the laptop’s present design and is scheduled to launch this year. Apple will quickly move to the M7 line in 2027, including new Pro and Max chips, Bloomberg previously reported.
As for the iPad Pros, Bloomberg says that they’ll retain 11-inch and 13-inch screens. Apple last updated the iPad Pro line last October with the M5 chip.
Technology
A missing kitten rode under a car hood. AI brought her home
AI technology helps reunite lost pets with owners using Ring doorbell cameras
Meghan Joyce, CEO of Duckbill, explains how AI technology from companies like Ring is revolutionizing the search for lost pets. Owners can upload photos to a database that uses AI to match them with images from animal shelters and Ring doorbell camera footage. This advanced facial recognition tech aims to quickly reunite one in three pets that go missing in their lifetime, utilizing technology for community good.
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Ame thought Lucy might be hiding upstairs. The family’s kitten had missed dinner, which felt odd. Still, cats hide. They nap in strange places. Sometimes, they ignore everyone.
But when breakfast came the next morning, Lucy still did not show up. “When we fed dinner one night, and she didn’t come running, I thought maybe she was upstairs in the kids’ bedroom, but when we fed breakfast the next morning, she didn’t come running again, so then I knew for sure she wasn’t in the house,” Ame said.
That is when a normal morning in Dayton, Ohio, turned into a frantic search. Lucy was less than a year old. Ame’s two young children were devastated. And wherever Lucy had gone, her family knew she had already spent the night away from home.
“If she had been out all night, we were really worried,” Ame said. Ame’s daughter, Evi, felt that fear immediately. “I was really sad and cried a lot. It was really heartbreaking,” Evi said.
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PRO WRESTLING STAR KILLER KROSS SHARES SWEET, LIFE-ALTERING MOMENT WHEN A CAT CAME INTO HIS LIFE
A missing Ohio kitten survived a ride under the hood of a stranger’s car before AI photo-matching technology helped reunite her with her family in just over 24 hours. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)
Ame uploaded Lucy’s photo and got a match
After the first wave of searching, Ame turned to Petco Love Lost. “I found out about Petco Love Lost through a friend of mine who also had a cat go missing. She said Petco Love Lost is a website where you can match from finders who have uploaded pictures of pets that they’ve found,” Ame said.
Ame created a lost pet profile and uploaded Lucy’s picture. The free nationwide database uses AI photo-matching technology to compare lost pet photos with found pet reports. Petco Love says the system looks at more than 500 visual markers to identify pets by features that stay with them wherever they go.
Then came the lead Ame needed. “It was actually very easy and quick. It was only about 10 or 12 hours before I got a lead on where Lucy might be,” Ame said.
A finder had listed a cat who looked like Lucy as found. Soon after, Ame received a photo match alert.
The price surprised her, too. “I was really surprised that Petco Love Lost is not subscription-based like most things are. It’s completely free, so it’s accessible to everyone,” she said. For a family already scared and stressed, that free access made a big difference.
Lucy was found under a car hood
Then Ame learned where Lucy had gone. “She was stuck under the hood of somebody’s car. This person had driven to a shopping center across the highway, got out of their car and heard meowing and realized that the meowing was coming from under the hood of their car,” Ame said.
The driver got Lucy out safely. Thankfully, the kitten had not been hurt. The finder kept Lucy safe and uploaded her photo to Petco Love Lost as a found pet. That report connected with Ame’s lost pet profile.
From there, Ame could finally arrange the reunion her family had been hoping for. “I connected with the finder on Petco Love Lost and was able to message back and forth. We organized a time to meet up and we were just ecstatic, and overjoyed, and in shock that we actually found her and also that we found her so quickly and in such a short space of time. Having Lucy home is a relief,” Ame said. Ame’s family brought Lucy home a little more than 24 hours after she disappeared.
The reunion brought happy tears
For Ame’s children, Lucy’s return changed the whole mood in the house. Ame’s daughter, Evi, went from heartbreak to happy tears. “When she was found, my mom put her on my lap. I was having a little bit of some happy tears,” Evi said.
Then came the sentence every pet parent wants to hear after a scare like this. “When Lucy was found, I was so happy to have her back,” Evi said.
That is the kind of reunion that sticks with you. A tiny kitten vanished, rode under a car hood, crossed a highway and still made it home because a finder uploaded one photo.
WOMAN’S CANCER BATTLE TAKES UNBELIEVABLE TURN WHEN HER DOG GETS SAME DIAGNOSIS
An Ohio family found their missing kitten after Petco Love Lost matched a photo uploaded by a good Samaritan who discovered Lucy under a car hood. (Photo credit should read Inna Borodayeva/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Why Petco Love Lost worked when the microchip did not
Lucy’s story also shows why lost pet searches need more than one safety step. The finder tried to get Lucy scanned for a microchip. But that did not solve the problem.
“The finder took her to scan the microchip, they couldn’t even find it, they couldn’t locate it. Petco Love Lost was literally the only link between us and Lucy to get her back,” Ame said.
That is important because many pet parents assume a microchip will always lead straight home. A microchip can help, but someone still needs access to a scanner. The chip also has to be found and connected to current contact details.
Petco Love Lost adds another option. Instead of relying only on tags or a scan, it uses a pet’s photo and physical features. Chelsea Staley, president of Petco Love, explains it this way: “Collars break, tags can fall off, and microchip scanners aren’t always immediately accessible. Petco Love Lost offers an additional layer of protection by using AI to recognize distinctive physical features that stay with pets wherever they go. You know your pet is one of a kind, and so does Petco Love Lost.” In Lucy’s case, that extra layer helped bring her back.
Why Lucy’s story matters during National Lost Pet Prevention Month
Lucy’s story hits at a time when many pet parents need the reminder. July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month. The month also brings holiday fireworks, which can scare pets and send them running. Petco Love says more pets go missing during the summer than during any other time of year, and fireworks help drive that spike. That makes Lucy’s story a good reminder to prepare before your pet bolts.
Petco Love encourages pet parents to register their pets on Petco Love Lost at petcolove.org/lost/register-pet/ while they are safe at home. Then, if something goes wrong, they can activate a search with a single click. Set it up before the fireworks start. Check it before guests come over. Take care of it before someone says, “I thought the cat was upstairs.”
What this means to you
A lost pet search can turn emotional really fast. You may be scared, tired and unsure where to start. Lucy’s story shows why preparation can help. Ame already had a clear photo of Lucy. She created a lost pet profile. Then a finder uploaded a found pet report, and the system connected them.
That does not mean you should skip collars, ID tags or microchips. Keep those in place. However, Petco Love Lost can give you another way to search when those tools do not work fast enough. The biggest lesson is timing. Registering your pet while everything is calm can save precious time later.
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RIDGLAN FARMS RESCUE BEAGLES FIND NEW LIFE HELPING VETERANS OVERCOME WAR TRAUMA WITH PAWS OF WAR
A free AI-powered lost pet database helped an Ohio family reunite with their kitten after traditional microchip identification failed. (Photo by:Marco Simonini/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Lucy’s story could have ended badly. She slipped out, hid under a car hood and rode across a highway without the driver knowing she was there. Instead, one uploaded photo helped bring her home. Petco Love Lost matched Lucy’s image with Ame’s lost pet profile, and the family had her back in a little more than 24 hours. That to me is the reason this story is worth sharing. Technology can feel cold, but in this case, it helped a family get their kitten back.
Have you ever had a pet go missing, and what helped bring them home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Comcast’s split could make or break Peacock
NBCUniversal executives are about to find out whether Peacock will sink or swim in the streaming industry. Now that Comcast is planning to split NBCUniversal, Peacock, and Sky from its broadband and wireless businesses, Peacock will be forced to stand on its own — without the backing of a combined company that pulled in more than $123 billion last year.
In the years following its launch in 2020, Peacock was treated as an accessory to an Xfinity subscription. But once Xfinity stopped offering it as a perk and axed its free membership tier in 2023, it was a sign that Comcast believed Peacock had something worth paying for. But even with exclusive streams of the Olympics and live sports, like Sunday Night Football and the Big Ten games, Peacock still trails behind rival streamers today.
Peacock grew by just five million subscribers between March 2025 and March 2026, bringing it up to 46 million. Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers easily eclipse Peacock’s user base. Even Disney Plus’s 132 million subscribers and HBO Max’s more than 140 million viewers make Peacock seem small in comparison. Part of that is because, unlike other major streamers, Peacock is only available in the US. Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said in March that the company doesn’t have plans for a global rollout of Peacock, but that may change as the soon-to-be standalone service scrambles for scale.
It’s also taking longer for Peacock to hop the hurdle of profitability — one of the biggest challenges for streamers. Peacock reported $2 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026. However, it experienced $432 million in losses, an increase from the $215 million it reported losing at the same time last year. But NBCUniversal media chairman Matt Strauss claims Peacock will become profitable in the current quarter, according to Deadline. “There’s not one way to approach a streaming strategy or market,” Strauss said during the Evercore Global TMT Conference last month. “Sometimes you have to play to your strengths, which is what we’ve been doing.”
It’s not clear how long Peacock can rely on live sports and reality TV to keep its service afloat. The service canceled its hit series Poker Face last year, leaving it without a tentpole series that makes Peacock worth subscribing to, like Severance on Apple TV or White Lotus on HBO Max. Though Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts and Cavanagh told investors that the company’s split isn’t a setup for a merger or acquisition, it still seems like a possibility.
Peter Supino, a Wolfe Research analyst, said that he expects “one or both Comcast units to merge with peers or competitors,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Media executives who spoke to Oliver Darcy for his Status newsletter are similarly doubtful about Roberts’ and Cavanagh’s M&A denials, with some insiders speculating that Netflix could make a bid for NBCUniversal’s assets. Either way, Peacock will need to do something more than just tread water, or else a competitor may just have to keep it from sinking.
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