SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY

Search headlines

Find the stories shaping the conversation.

Search mode
Refine results
Active filters Keyword All time

Results for " debate " 1,733 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle

NFL fans blast officials for making Sunday Night Football “unwatchable”

NFL fans questioned a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty during the Packers' 23-13 win over the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. The call erased a potential interception and reignited debate over officiating consistency, player safety and the impact of penalties on the game's flow.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Oct 23 • 7:45 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Kansas manufacturing business responds to candidates’ conflicting accounts of tariff effects

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The two major party candidates for U.S. Senate diverged in a debate Wednesday night on whether tariffs were helping or hurting a Salina manufacturing business they both visited. A spokesperson for the business, however, denied U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s claim that tariffs were contributing to its growth. Tim Henry, chief financial […]

kansasreflector.com logo
Oct 23 • 4:50 AM EDT • Business • kansasreflector.com
The Tricky Convergence of Democratic Socialism and Civil Rights

Some worry that a new generation of progressives threatens the coalitions that opened government to historically excluded communities. But there’s plenty for them to learn from each other.

governing.com logo
Oct 23 • 2:10 AM EDT • Politics • governing.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (7%)
wow
70%
ahah
30%
Political experts break down final debate between Rogers, El-Sayed ahead of election
cbsnews.com logo
Oct 22 • 5:11 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall in debate blames Ukraine war, not Iran war, for high diesel prices

The answer, delivered during a debate with Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton, aligned Marshall with President Donald Trump's freshly antagonistic posture toward Ukraine, which has spent more than four years defending itself against an invasion.

pbs.org logo
Oct 22 • 4:03 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
🙂 Positive (35%)
Trump, tariffs and health care: Takeaways from two Senate debates

Michigan and Kansas Senate candidates clashed over Trump, the economy and health care in high-stakes debates ahead of Election Day.

scrippsnews.com logo
Oct 22 • 8:26 AM EDT • Health • scrippsnews.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (9%)
wow
37%
love
36%
ahah
27%
‘Constitution’ at the Rep mingles the personal and political

Heidi Schreck’s 2017 play “What the Constitution Means to Me” mixes constitutional debate with personal revelation. It plays at the Rep through Nov. 15.

stlpr.org logo
Oct 22 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • stlpr.org
Commentary: Lincoln-Douglas, they’re not. The sorry scene of today’s political debates.

Debates sure aren’t what they used to be.

kentuckylantern.com logo
Oct 22 • 5:30 AM EDT • Politics • kentuckylantern.com
AI as the next political divide

We have a guest post today from our friends at Focaldata, with whom we have done polling before. They have been doing a lot of work on attitudes towards AI and how this is affecting politics on both sides of the Atlantic. In this post, they explore exclusive new polling – with a whole set of fascinating charts on how voters’ views are developing and why. In particular, the authors explore why the debate is currently so much more polarised by party in the US than in the UK, to the benefit of the Democrats. Subscribe Focaldata HQ is located in Shoreditch, east London. To access the office from the Shoreditch High Street Overground station, you have to walk under the bridge at Braithwaite Street. We mention this not as a navigational aid, but because the posters above caught our eye over the summer. Since June, the area has been the centre of a fiercely contested debate around the construction of a data centre on the Truman Brewery estate on Brick Lane, less than 200 metres from our office. It was one of the first ‘US-style’ protest movements around AI data centres the country has seen, and may not be the last. These protests served as the catalyst for our forthcoming report, examining whether AI could become the next political divide on both sides of the Atlantic. We wanted to understand what was driving the emerging politics of AI and whether the dynamics at play in the US offer clues as to how the British debate will evolve. Over the last month, we polled 3,851 people across the UK and US about their views on AI. Our research found striking similarities between the two countries: for instance, both electorates are evenly split on their views towards AI development, with just over a third in favour (37% in each country), a similar number opposed, and the remainder somewhere in the middle or unsure. Statistically speaking, there is no difference in overall sentiment towards AI between the UK and US. Under the hood, demographic patterns also look largely the same in the two countries, with millennials, degree holders, full-time workers and those who describe themselves as financially comfortable more pro-AI than the rest of the country. Despite this convergence in overall attitudes, there is a striking divergence in how much of a politicised issue AI has become. In the US, attitudes are increasingly split by political affiliation and the issue has become the latest front in the seemingly interminable culture war, playing a role in the upcoming midterms. This stark political polarisation of AI has not happened in the UK – at least not yet. In what follows, we test several hypotheses for why the two countries are so far apart on a political basis. Understanding which hypothesis is correct will give us an indication of where the British dynamics go next.

samf.substack.com logo
Oct 22 • 4:43 AM EDT • Politics • samf.substack.com
Detroit Free Press politics reporter breaks down the final debate in...

Detroit Free Press politics reporter breaks down the final debate in the U.S. Senate race in Michigan hosted by WXYZ Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026....

facebook.com logo
Oct 22 • 4:42 AM EDT • Politics • facebook.com
Crowley, Tiffany clash on education, taxes in Wisconsin governor’s debate

MADISON (WKOW) -- The only scheduled debate between Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley and Republican candidate Tom Tiffany was held Wednesday evening.

wxow.com logo
Oct 22 • 12:00 AM EDT • Politics • wxow.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (20%)
wow
38%
love
37%
sad
25%
Abortion, ICE and socialism spark fireworks in swing state governor debate: 5 top moments

Republican Tom Tiffany pointed to a 20-week abortion limit while Democrat David Crowley declined to name a gestational cutoff in their debate.

foxnews.com logo
Oct 21 • 11:19 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Klobuchar, Demuth tangle over what they’ve done in politics, what they would do as governor

A probable final debate in Minnesota’s race for governor had Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth scrutinizing the records and plans of the other.

mprnews.org logo
Oct 21 • 11:11 PM EDT • Politics • mprnews.org
Rogers, El-Sayed battle over immigration, health care, and Iran in Michigan Senate debate

U.S. Senate candidates Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed traded sharp criticism during a debate less than two weeks before Election Day, making their closing pitches to Michigan voters on issues including the cost of living, immigration enforcement, and the war in Iran.

clickondetroit.com logo
Oct 21 • 10:57 PM EDT • Health • clickondetroit.com
Farmers, Health Care and Highways: 5 Takeaways from the Kansas Senate Debate

The Republican incumbent, Roger Marshall, is facing a surprisingly tough challenge from the Democratic nominee, Adam Hamilton.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 21 • 10:54 PM EDT • Health • nytimes.com
El-Sayed’s loyalty to America, Rogers’ loyalty to Trump and other takeaways from Michigan Senate debate

The Michigan Senate debate between Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers was bitterly personal and ferociously contested — as befits a contest that could decide the chamber’s majority.

cnn.com logo
Oct 21 • 8:49 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Abdul El-Sayed, Mike Rogers clash in bitterly personal debate

A debate between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race was bitterly personal and contentious, while Republican Roger Marshall and Democrat were a bit kinder in Kansas. CNN’s Jeff Zeleny breaks down both debates in contests that could be critical to deciding control of the Senate in November.

cnn.com logo
Oct 21 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Constitutional Amendments Bring Polarizing Politics to The State

Partisan clashes have spawned votes on three proposed amendments to the Wisconsin constitution, prompting much debate over GOP and Democratic policies.

milwaukeemag.com logo
Oct 21 • 4:48 PM EDT • Politics • milwaukeemag.com
Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #228

Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy. In today’s edition, you’ll find: On the issues: The debate over Iowa’s education savings account program In this section, we curate reporting, analysis, and commentary on the issues school board […]

news.ballotpedia.org logo
Oct 21 • 4:00 PM EDT • Politics • news.ballotpedia.org
Jalen Hurts' health shouldn't be up for debate

Football has long tradition of treating Black quarterbacks injuries as character referendums first and medical event second.

andscape.com logo
Oct 21 • 10:28 AM EDT • Health • andscape.com
The power of being local in the immigration debate

A new book from Bethany Lacina interrogates how the struggle over who counts as local shapes migration politics.

rochester.edu logo
Oct 21 • 8:47 AM EDT • Politics • rochester.edu
Live updates: Trump to rally for Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina

Live updates and the latest news as Trump rallies for Darline Graham in South Carolina and the candidates for Senate in Michigan and Kansas and governor in Wisconsin debate.

nbcnews.com logo
Oct 21 • 7:27 AM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Marshall faces final debate in fight for political life

In today’s issue: Marshall, Hamilton meeting in final debate Trump unveils fraud whistleblower program Big midterm spending in final weeks Backlash to controversial Ramaswamy ad Sen. Roge…

thehill.com logo
Oct 21 • 7:08 AM EDT • Politics • thehill.com
The week in politics (Oct. 21, 2026)

On Wednesday's show: We preview this week's debate between candidates for Harris County Judge. And we discuss the latest developments in politics.

houstonpublicmedia.org logo
Oct 21 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • houstonpublicmedia.org
The Raptor that Didn’t Return Home: Norman Powell

It’s February 1, 2026, one week before the newly implemented formula of the 2026 All-Star Game takes place. 12-minute quarters, four games in one night, and three teams: USA Stars, USA Stripes, and Team World. The rosters became official that same day, and debates among individuals and analysts began. However, one All-Star stood out above …

sports.yahoo.com logo
Oct 21 • 6:45 AM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
Texas Republicans Used to Debate. Not This Cycle.

With early voting already underway, we're likely to close out this election cycle without a single debate between top-of-the-ticket candidates. Why?

texasmonthly.com logo
Oct 21 • 6:44 AM EDT • Politics • texasmonthly.com
In this Florida district, politicians battle over who most loves Israel

Singer criticized Moskowitz for not doing enough to back the Iran war at a synagogue debate ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.

jta.org logo
Oct 21 • 5:29 AM EDT • Politics • jta.org
How Investors May Respond To PENN Entertainment (PENN) Massachusetts Slot Debate

PENN Entertainment has opposed proposed legislation in Massachusetts that would permit historical horse racing devices that function like slot machines. The company argues these terminals could shift up to US$216 million in annual gaming revenue and affect an estimated 1,074 casino jobs across the state. The company has recently reported earnings that exceeded consensus estimates, with an average surprise of 72.86% over the last two quarters. This highlights an operating profile where...

simplywall.st logo
Oct 21 • 1:36 AM EDT • Entertainment • simplywall.st
Ken Paxton hits campaign trail as political expert weighs in on strategy of avoiding debate
yahoo.com logo
Oct 20 • 11:25 PM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Ken Paxton hits campaign trail as political expert weighs in on strategy of avoiding debate

Paxton's Richmond appearance was part of a two-week bus tour across Texas, giving supporters an opportunity to hear directly from the state's attorney general.

abc13.com logo
Oct 20 • 11:25 PM EDT • Politics • abc13.com
😐 Neutral (14%)
Haitian migrants changed this town - Trump's deportation drive is reshaping it again

The president thrust Springfield, Ohio, into the spotlight with a false pet-eating claim - years later, it remains at the heart of the immigration debate.

bbc.com logo
Oct 20 • 10:37 PM EDT • Politics • bbc.com
Who do you look up to in Iowa politics? Iowa's Congressional District Debate

Who do you aim to emulate in Iowa politics? Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Christina Bohannan respond during KWQC's 1st District debate.

kwqc.com logo
Oct 20 • 9:39 PM EDT • Politics • kwqc.com
Trump pushes to evict the press from the White House

While moving the media out of the White House may be a relatively small debate considering Trump’s broader attacks on journalists, it would be highly symbolic.

seattletimes.com logo
Oct 20 • 9:04 PM EDT • Politics • seattletimes.com
Lack of debates in 1st Congressional District race on Long Island exposes new political reality
cbsnews.com logo
Oct 20 • 7:21 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
Deep dive High-Signal Publisher
😐 Neutral (5%)
wow
62%
ahah
38%
Debates are quickly disappearing in New York politics, analysts say
cbsnews.com logo
Oct 20 • 7:10 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
WA leaders push back as federal health cuts threaten millions

Washington lawmakers warn that federal health cuts could cost hospitals billions and hike premiums, drawing debate ahead of the midterms.

fox13seattle.com logo
Oct 20 • 3:39 PM EDT • Health • fox13seattle.com
Smucker, Mannion to go head to head in debate this Friday

Republican Congressman Lloyd Smucker and Democratic challenger Nancy Mannion will debate Friday afternoon at a forum hosted by the Lancaster Chamber and York County Economic Alliance.

lancasteronline.com logo
Oct 20 • 10:57 AM EDT • Politics • lancasteronline.com
“There is life after death.” Why science has no theory that can prove it

Science has studied people who came remarkably close to death, but the hardest question still remains beyond direct measurement. That gap is exactly where the debate becomes most interesting.

yahoo.com logo
Oct 20 • 7:17 AM EDT • Science • yahoo.com
MN Governor Candidates Klobuchar, Demuth Take Part in Business Forum in Brainerd

https://youtu.be/9XgT9HmAWKc

lptv.org logo
Oct 20 • 12:06 AM EDT • Business • lptv.org
Who speaks for Mars? Scientists call for ethical debate before terraforming begins

Transforming Mars into a more Earth-like world could irreversibly destroy scientific evidence about the planet's history and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. In an opinion article published in ...

phys.org logo
Oct 19 • 6:20 PM EDT • Science • phys.org
Jawando, Wells appear at small-business event, but not to debate

Plus: Realtors endorse new candidates, including school board hopefuls; Mail-in ballot canvass underway

bethesdamagazine.com logo
Oct 19 • 11:47 AM EDT • Business • bethesdamagazine.com
Bridges, Colorado Dems have embraced every tax hike

Kevin Grantham, the Republican nominee for state treasurer, exposed the single most important issue that defines Colorado Democrats during a debate with his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Jeff Bridges. Grantham is a Fremont County commissioner and former state senator from Cañon City who served as president of the Colorado state Senate when Republicans controlled the […]

coloradopolitics.com logo
Oct 19 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com
Governor Greg Abbott doesn't believe the polls and says Texans will put him in office for a fourth term

In an interview with Lone Star Politics, Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott makes a lot of news. He commits to tough new data center laws next session. He explains why he doesn’t want to debate his opponent in November, State lawmaker Gina Hinojosa. And he lays out his priorities if elected once again.

nbcdfw.com logo
Oct 19 • 5:03 AM EDT • Politics • nbcdfw.com
AI Breach of Australian Healthcare Website Sparks Regulation Debate

Nearly three months after a June attack involving OpenAI on the Australian Medicare website, the Australian government received a five-paragraph email from the company informing officials of the breach. Although the Australian government has promised to take further action, such as establishing task

carolinapoliticalreview.org logo
Oct 18 • 7:07 PM EDT • Health • carolinapoliticalreview.org
Jackson doesn't regret telling Collins to 'shut up' after protester interrupted Maine Senate debate

"She said that it was a Troy supporter. She accused me of setting that up. I had no idea who it was,” Jackson said.

pbs.org logo
Oct 18 • 2:01 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Jackson doesn't regret telling Collins to 'shut up' after protester interrupted Maine Senate debate

Maine Democrat Troy Jackson says he doesn't regret telling Susan Collins that she should “shut up” after the Republican senator suggested that a protester who interrupted their recent debate was one of his campaign’s backers.

wsls.com logo
Oct 18 • 1:24 PM EDT • Politics • wsls.com
Campaign advancements: UTC professor weighs in on use of AI for political purposes

The Tennessee gubernatorial race heats up as candidates make their final election pushes with Senator Marsha Blackburn’s AI-generated video sparking widespread online attention and debate about AI’s role in political campaigns.

local3news.com logo
Oct 18 • 12:30 PM EDT • Politics • local3news.com
Why Microsoft and others are on the sidelines of WA ‘millionaires tax’ fight

Washington biggest private employers, including Microsoft, are neutral in the "millionaires tax" debate as they concentrate on warding off other taxes.

seattletimes.com logo
Oct 18 • 9:00 AM EDT • Politics • seattletimes.com
Zack Polanski says application of Zionism is racist and no state has right to exist

Green leader in England and Wales calls ‘debates about words’ unhelpful and denies recent motion was controversial

theguardian.com logo
Oct 18 • 6:39 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Pols & Politics: Could the Minogue-Healey polls signal an upset?

GOP rival Mike Minogue won the two debates by a country mile over Gov. Maura Healey — according to two Herald online polls. Plus: California Gov. Gavin Newsom to stump for Healey

bostonherald.com logo
Oct 18 • 5:16 AM EDT • Politics • bostonherald.com
Rural voters in Kansas want practical solutions not politics

A new survey shows rural voters prioritize practical issues like health care and cost of living over partisan debates.

cjonline.com logo
Oct 18 • 5:04 AM EDT • Politics • cjonline.com
Troy Jackson tells Dana Bash he has no apologies for ‘shut-up’ debate moment
cnn.com logo
Oct 17 • 8:35 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Reform politician says smart glasses helping him make speeches in Wales' parliament

Jason O'Connell sparked debate when he started wearing the glasses, which have an autocue feature.

yahoo.com logo
Oct 17 • 4:58 PM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Senedd member says smart glasses help with speeches in the Senedd

Jason O'Connell sparked debate when he started wearing the glasses, which have an autocue feature.

bbc.com logo
Oct 17 • 4:58 PM EDT • Politics • bbc.com
Susan Collins Says Rival’s ‘Oh, Shut Up’ Comment Reflects How He Treats Women

Ms. Collins, a Republican running in a crucial race, called the debate remark by her opponent, Troy Jackson, “very telling.” Mr. Jackson has defended his comment, and his campaign said Ms. Collins had run a campaign based on personal attacks.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 17 • 10:43 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Kathy Castor, Mike Beltran square off in a rare debate for Congress

Also, Congressional Democratic candidates Kimberly Overman and Robert People appeared at the debate, held by Tampa Tiger Bay at the Cuban Club in Ybor City.

wusf.org logo
Oct 17 • 8:18 AM EDT • Politics • wusf.org
Uncertainty Over Pope’s Health Fuels Familiar Debate Over Vatican’s Candor

By announcing his lung condition himself, Leo has been more forthcoming than many popes. But mysteries remain, prompting scrutiny of papal statements for hidden meaning.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 17 • 12:01 AM EDT • Health • nytimes.com
Leonardo DiCaprio's 'dad bod' puts spotlight on dangerous belly fat — and how to lose it

Leonardo DiCaprio's beach photos sparked a 'dad bod' debate, as a trainer warns that excess belly fat and visceral fat carry serious health risks.

foxnews.com logo
Oct 16 • 11:12 PM EDT • Health • foxnews.com
Saban Names Top Four Teams, Igniting Fan Debate

Nick Saban names Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami, and Ohio State as top teams. See how Alabama fans react to his comments before the Tennessee game.

sports.yahoo.com logo
Oct 16 • 10:05 PM EDT • Sports • sports.yahoo.com
🙂 Positive (50%)
Politics Unusual: Governors debate discussion, ballet props

In this episode of Politics Unusual, FOX 5 NY’s political reporter Morgan McKay sits down with politics strategists to discuss the recent New York gubernatorial debate between Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican nominee Bruce Blakeman. Also, a conversation with the executive director of Citizens Union about the five ballot propositions.

fox5ny.com logo
Oct 16 • 7:35 PM EDT • Politics • fox5ny.com
Cookies, liquor and mocking Nazis fuel final stretch in fiery Texas House race

Katy Padilla Stout's Texas Democratic campaign reported over $4,300 in cookies, beer and wine, and Mexican restaurant spending per FEC records.

foxnews.com logo
Oct 16 • 7:16 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
DC Lawmakers Focus on Business, Wealth Taxes in Budget Hearing

DC lawmakers held a marathon hearing Friday to debate different revenue raisers to fill a projected $700 million budget gap next year, but most focused on measures to implement a business activity tax and wealth tax.

news.bloombergtax.com logo
Oct 16 • 6:51 PM EDT • Business • news.bloombergtax.com
Trump Returns to Dalton for a Rescue Mission in Georgia

Plus, Katie Zacharia’s ouster, A.O.C. on the trail, and another tense debate in Maine.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 16 • 6:04 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Political insiders break down N.Y. gubernatorial debate

Republican Bruce Blakeman and incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul faced off in their only debate of the election cycle right here on Spectrum News 1.

spectrumlocalnews.com logo
Oct 16 • 6:00 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Democratic Senate candidates swamp GOP rivals in fundraising: From the Politics Desk

Plus, tensions boil over on the debate stage.

nbcnews.com logo
Oct 16 • 5:02 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Chris Mason: Burnham and Swinney tussle over where power lies in Scotland

UK political debate has a distinctly Scottish feel after SNP's annual conference, says the BBC's political editor Chris Mason.

yahoo.com logo
Oct 16 • 4:08 PM EDT • Politics • yahoo.com
Board of Regents: Candidates talk issues ahead of Nov. 3 election

Name: Edie Hooton Office Sought: Colorado Board of Regents, District2 Party: Democrat How should the Board navigate curriculum debates that have become politically polarized? Curriculum decisions must be anchored in the principle of “shared governance,” as defined in Regent Laws. The responsibility for academic excellence lies with the faculty and subject matter experts, as they […]

coloradopolitics.com logo
Oct 16 • 1:52 PM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com
Political analyst talks about upcoming 2nd Congressional District debate and race

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Friday night, KRQE News 13 will host candidates for the hotly contested 2nd Congressional District in New Mexico in a live debate at 5 p.m. Democratic Incumbent Gabe Vasque…

krqe.com logo
Oct 16 • 1:30 PM EDT • Politics • krqe.com
Moore, Crosby spar over economy and growth at Congressional District 2 debate

Rep. Blake Moore and Democratic challenger Peter Crosby discussed where they stand on Utah's economy, tariffs, and housing affordability during Congressional District 2 debate

upr.org logo
Oct 16 • 12:42 PM EDT • Politics • upr.org
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.

yourlocalepidemiologistca.substack.com logo
Oct 16 • 10:32 AM EDT • Health • yourlocalepidemiologistca.substack.com
Healey and Minogue made their final pitches to voters in a tense debate. Here are 4 takeaways.

The two clashed over housing costs, public accountability, abortion access, immigration enforcement, and energy policy.

boston.com logo
Oct 16 • 9:31 AM EDT • Politics • boston.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (9%)
wow
66%
ahah
34%
Key takeaways from the final, fiery debate between Susan Collins and Troy Jackson

The debate featured lots of talk about Donald Trump, disparate views on the state of American democracy and a moment when Jackson told Collins to "shut up."

mainepublic.org logo
Oct 16 • 6:37 AM EDT • Politics • mainepublic.org
What’s at stake in the US senate race in Alaska?
cnn.com logo
Oct 16 • 5:31 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
‘I’m on a War Footing’: Terry Tao and the Crisis in Math

The Fields Medalist and celebrated mathematician is on the front lines of a debate about artificial intelligence and the future of his field.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 16 • 5:02 AM EDT • Science • nytimes.com
Should California taxpayers chip in to fund political campaigns? Prop 4 lets you decide

Proposition 4 would lift a ban that prohibits state and most local candidates from using public funding for their political campaigns. Proponents argue the mechanism helps more candidates run for office, but opponents are skeptical.

lookout.co logo
Oct 16 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • lookout.co
Sullivan and Peltola clash in Alaska race that could decide Senate control
cnn.com logo
Oct 16 • 4:58 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Is Milton Friedman to blame for America’s health care woes?

Health policy experts John McDonough and Stuart Butler debate where the U.S. medical system went wrong — and how to fix it.

statnews.com logo
Oct 16 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
Fish, Oil and Corruption: 6 Takeaways From Alaska’s Senate Debate

The Republican incumbent, Dan Sullivan, and his Democratic challenger, Mary Peltola, veered from serious discussion of high prices and economic challenges to blistering personal attacks.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 16 • 3:28 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Hill, Jones agree on tariffs, disagree elsewhere in spirited debate

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, and his Democratic opponent, Chris Jones, both don’t support President Trump’s tariff policies, but they disagreed about many other issues in a spirited but...

talkbusiness.net logo
Oct 16 • 1:58 AM EDT • Business • talkbusiness.net
Bitter personal attacks and Trump’s war in Iran highlighted in Thursday’s Senate debates in Alaska and Maine

Candidates faced off in heated debates Thursday night in two of the country’s most competitive Senate races, showing how bitter — and personal — each contest has become.

cnn.com logo
Oct 16 • 1:07 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (5%)
wow
44%
ahah
28%
angry
28%
An Amazon 'science fair' and quashed legislation: A busy day for debate on Trenton data centers

On Thursday, Amazon hosted an open house about its potential 600-acre data center in St. Clair and Madison Townships. Trenton City Council also voted to withdraw several pieces of legislation proposing financial benefits for residents that would only take effect if voters reject Issue 17.

wvxu.org logo
Oct 15 • 11:29 PM EDT • Science • wvxu.org
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (15%)
wow
37%
love
36%
ahah
27%
Dunlap, LePage clash over health care, costs in final CD2 debate

Hosted by WABI in partnership with WAGM, the candidates for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District went head-to-head on affordability, energy, health care and immigration.

wabi.tv logo
Oct 15 • 11:22 PM EDT • Health • wabi.tv
Deep dive
😐 Neutral (6%)
wow
67%
love
33%
Benson, James clash over health care, Trump, Lansing record in final Michigan governor debate

Jocelyn Benson and John James made their cases to become Michigan’s next governor in their second and final debate, sparring over health care costs, President Donald Trump, and the record of Democrats in Lansing.

clickondetroit.com logo
Oct 15 • 10:55 PM EDT • Health • clickondetroit.com
😐 Neutral (7%)
wow
100%
5 Takeaways From the Senate Debate in Maine

The race’s fourth and final debate centered around whether Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent, was as independent as she claimed to be from President Trump.

nytimes.com logo
Oct 15 • 9:42 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
'Oh, shut up!': Democrat snaps at Collins after heckler drives Maine Senate debate off the rails

A protester yelling about AI data centers sparked a fiery clash between Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson.

foxnews.com logo
Oct 15 • 9:12 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Protester interrupts Maine Senate debate and confronts GOP Sen. Collins on data centers
cnn.com logo
Oct 15 • 8:52 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
WATCH LIVE: Sullivan, Peltola face off in Alaska U.S. Senate debate
pbs.org logo
Oct 15 • 6:57 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Leading Colorado U.S. Senate candidates debate on campus

Students filled the King Center theater to learn where each man stands on the issues and to get an up-close view of politics in action.

red.msudenver.edu logo
Oct 15 • 6:31 PM EDT • Politics • red.msudenver.edu
Iowa politics: KCCI to host Congressional 3rd District debate between Nunn, Trone Garriott

KCCI, Iowa’s News Leader, will host a 3rd Congressional District debate as part of its Commitment 2026 political coverage ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

kcci.com logo
Oct 15 • 5:38 PM EDT • Politics • kcci.com
Republican Stacy Garrity pitches her agenda to Willow Valley residents

A week after she debated Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro on television, Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity perched on a wooden stool in West Lampeter Township and answered questions from Lancaster

lancasteronline.com logo
Oct 15 • 5:00 PM EDT • Politics • lancasteronline.com
WATCH LIVE: Rep. Fischbach, challenger Osberg face off in Minnesota U.S. House debate
pbs.org logo
Oct 15 • 4:50 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
WATCH LIVE: Collins, Jackson face off in Maine U.S. Senate debate
pbs.org logo
Oct 15 • 4:45 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Data centers dog Donalds, no debates and Flock cameras: IFP Podcast

Data centers give Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds heartburn, no debates are a new abnormal and Are you in favor of Flock cameras?

floridatoday.com logo
Oct 15 • 3:13 PM EDT • Politics • floridatoday.com
Nebraska 2nd Congressional District debate: Political rhetoric

Nebraska 2nd Congressional District debate: Political rhetoric

wowt.com logo
Oct 15 • 2:44 PM EDT • Politics • wowt.com
German MPs rebuke AfD during genocide debate

The events took place more than 120 years ago, but their consequences are still felt today: Over two days, German lawmakers have been debating their country's colonial crimes in present-day Namibia.

dw.com logo
Oct 15 • 1:01 PM EDT • Politics • dw.com
Time’s up for the leap second as scientists swap it for the leap hour

Delegates from 69 countries approve clock changeover after decades of debate – but switch may not take effect for thousands of years

theguardian.com logo
Oct 15 • 12:16 PM EDT • Technology • theguardian.com
Time’s up for the leap second as scientists swap it for the leap hour

Delegates from 69 countries approve clock changeover after decades of debate – but switch may not take effect for thousands of years

theguardian.com logo
Oct 15 • 12:16 PM EDT • Science • theguardian.com
WATCH LIVE: WGAL\'s 36th Senate District debate with candidates Malone, Jones

Democrat James Malone and Republican Tom Jones will meet today for a televised debate before the race for Lancaster County’s 36th Senate District.

lancasteronline.com logo
Oct 15 • 11:00 AM EDT • Politics • lancasteronline.com
Op-ed: Healthcare affordability debate misses insurers’ bad behavior

Premiums for small groups and individuals continue to skyrocket.

crainsnewyork.com logo
Oct 15 • 11:00 AM EDT • Health • crainsnewyork.com
Scientific expertise does not guarantee greater credibility in public debates, survey suggests

A study of more than 6,000 people in the U.K. and Sweden suggests that although scientists are generally regarded as credible, their status as experts is more contested when they discuss issues such as ...

phys.org logo
Oct 15 • 10:40 AM EDT • Science • phys.org