
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Federal Reserve took the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/09/16/fed-once-again-expected-to-make-jumbo-interest-rate-cuts-at-this-weeks-weighty-meeting/">widely expected</a>&nbsp;step Wednesday of announcing its first interest rate cut in years, a move that will have a major impact on the finances of Americans across the board, making borrowing cheaper, though the golden days of high-yield savings instruments may be over.<strong></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The Fed’s policy-setting committee cut the federal funds rate by 50 basis points, the more aggressive move as consensus was split between a 25 or 50 basis-point cut.</p>



<p>It’s the first cut to the federal funds rate since March 2020, bringing rates down to 4.75% to 5% from the 5.25% to 5.5% range they’ve sat since last July, the highest rates had been since 2001.</p>



<p>The Fed pivot follows the continued moderation of inflation, which caused rates to spike in the first place.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-do-fed-rate-cuts-do">What Do Fed Rate Cuts Do?</h2>



<p>The Fed only officially controls the federal funds rate, which determines the interest charged in overnight cash reserve transactions between banks. But the central bank’s rate decisions affect borrowing costs across the board, as lenders typically set rates based upon the Fed-determined range, and rate cuts will more broadly ripple throughout the economy as well. Here are some of the most tangible ways rate cuts will impact everyday Amerians:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-housing">Housing</h2>



<p>Mortgages pose perhaps the most obvious jolt for consumers from rate cuts, as mortgage rates are tightly linked to yields for government bonds, which in turn are a reflection of the Fed’s monetary policy. Mortgage rates already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2024/09/12/mortgage-rates-fall-to-62-lowest-borrowing-costs-since-early-2023/">hit</a>&nbsp;a 19-month low last week of 6.2% on 30-year fixed loans, as brokers braced for the impending rate cuts, and it’s likely the downward descent will continue as the Fed prepares to further cut rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-car-loans">Car Loans</h2>



<p>Consumer loans will get cheaper with lower Fed rates, including auto loans, which&nbsp;<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TERMCBAUTO48NS" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">sit now</a>&nbsp;at their most expensive rate since 2001, up from 2021’s sub-5% rate for new car loans to about 8.7%. The cost of other debt like variable-rate private&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/how-fed-impacts-student-loans/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">student loans</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/12/fed-interest-rate-cut-credit-card" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">credit card</a>&nbsp;interest should also come down.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-job-market">Job Market</h2>



<p>Companies will also reap the benefits of more accessible credit. Lower rates are typically associated with friendlier hiring as employers’ bottom lines get a boost from cheaper borrowing costs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-savings">Savings</h2>



<p>Perhaps the most materially negative change from rate cuts for Americans’ finances is that the high-yield savings accounts, certificate of deposit accounts and money-market funds, which offered enticing returns for savers over the last two years,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/fed-meeting-september-rate-cut-savings-95db9142" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">will lose</a>&nbsp;some of their luster. Those are tightly linked to the federal funds rate,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/where-to-put-your-money-when-the-fed-cuts-rates-743e8c66" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">meaning</a>&nbsp;yields for those accounts will quickly fall as the Fed cuts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-rate-cuts-impact-stocks">How Rate Cuts Impact Stocks</h2>



<p>Rate cuts are typically considered a boon for stocks, as money gets pulled away from lower-yielding government bonds and money market funds, leaving investors searching for more enticing returns. The U.S. benchmark S&amp;P 500 stock index has gained 86% of the time in the 12 months after the first rate cut in a cycle dating back to 1929,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/what-happens-when-fed-lowers-interest-rates" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to Charles Schwab.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">Contra</h2>



<p>Though rates are about to come down, it’s not likely the U.S. will return to the low-rate environment that became the norm. The Fed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcprojtabl20240612.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">forecasts</a>&nbsp;a long-term federal funds rate of 2.8%, higher than rates ever were from March 2008 to Sept. 2022, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/fed-funds-rate-history/">far ways</a>&nbsp;from the near-zero rates set from Dec. 2008 to Dec. 2015 and March 2020 to March 2022.</p>



<p>.</p>


Finance Calculator

Fed Cuts Interest Rates For First Time In 4 Years: Here’s What It Means For You


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested Monday and pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges including sex trafficking and racketeering and will remain in custody until his trial, provoking a range of sharp reactions from rapper and longtime critic 50 Cent, and other celebrities in the hip-hop and R&amp;B communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Combs was indicted on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, cause or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution, with prosecutors alleging he engaged in physical abuse, coercion and obstruction of justice when organizing sex parties he described as “Freak Offs.”</p>



<p>50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson III,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/50cent/status/1836075843371618663" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tweeted</a>&nbsp;a photo of him and actor Drew Barrymore captioned, “Here I am keeping good company with [Barrymore] and I don’t have 1,000 bottles of lube at the house,” referencing investigators’ findings while they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/03/25/feds-search-sean-diddy-combs-la-and-miami-homes-reports-say/">searched Combs’ homes</a>&nbsp;in March, when law enforcement recovered more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, according to Combs’ indictment.</p>



<p>Radio host Charlamagne Tha God said during a Monday segment on “The Breakfast Club” if Combs is convicted of racketeering and sex trafficking “<a href="https://youtu.be/IykOj8rhUgQ?si=bT3VlGDQBNogiVIp&amp;t=390" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">there will be others involved</a>” who will be “probably going to jail.”</p>



<p>Singer Audrey O’Day, who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://people.com/aubrey-oday-reacts-sean-diddy-combs-home-raids-8620791" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outspoken about Combs</a>, said Monday she felt “<a href="https://x.com/AubreyODay/status/1835881050347843665" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">validated</a>” after the rapper’s arrest, following up the tweet by saying she “chose to speak to people who could move justice in the way I needed to see it.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-50-cent-s-yearslong-feud-with-combs">50 Cent’s Yearslong Feud With Combs</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/03/27/50-cent-says-diddy-done-after-feds-raid-sean-combs-homes-but-their-beef-has-lasted-decades/">50 Cent has long criticized Combs</a>&nbsp;in the leadup to his indictment. In May, 50 Cent reshared a post from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office condemning a video showing Combs assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. The attack took place beyond the statute of limitations, provoking 50 Cent to say the office released the video knowing “they can’t charge him with what we saw, but they know we can’t [unsee]</p>



<p>what we saw.” 50 Cent also chimed in on the raids conducted on Combs’ residences, saying in a tweet “they don’t come like that unless they got a case.” 50 Cent put out a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a36761/50-cent-attacks-p-diddy-in-new-song/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">diss track</a>&nbsp;against Combs in 2006 and announced last year his production company would produce a documentary about the numerous allegations against Combs titled, “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/12/07/50-cent-says-hell-make-documentary-about-diddys-sexual-assault-allegations-as-fourth-woman-comes-forward/?sh=aec0bbb18728">Diddy Do It?</a>”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>O’Day is a former member of R&amp;B girl group Danity Kane, which was signed to Combs’ record label, Bad Boy Records, in 2005.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Combs was denied bail Tuesday and will remain in federal custody until his trial over the three charges, which carry a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors accused Combs of engaging in “verbal, emotional, sexual and physical abuse” and manipulating women into engaging in “extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers.” The charges against Combs follow&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/17/sean-diddy-combs-arrested-on-racketeering-sex-trafficking-charges-a-complete-timeline-of-allegations-against-him/">months-worth of allegations</a>&nbsp;made by women against the rapper accusing him of rape, sexual assault and abuse dating back several years. The allegations, which mainly materialized from late last year to this summer, were denied by Combs’ attorneys, who told Forbes some of the lawsuits against the rapper were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/britneynguyen/2023/11/24/rapper-sean-diddy-combs-accused-of-rape-and-sexual-assault-in-two-new-separate-lawsuits/?sh=359589f26558">money grabs</a>, “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/willskipworth/2023/11/16/rapper-sean-diddy-combs-accused-of-rape-and-sex-trafficking-by-singer-and-former-partner/?sh=2d57663bb351">baseless</a>” or “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/12/06/sean-combs-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-17-year-old-in-latest-lawsuit/?sh=4e745e308e92">sickening</a>.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/09/17/sean-diddy-combs-pleads-not-guilty-t0-sex-trafficking-racketeering-charges/">Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Denied Bail After Pleading Not Guilty To Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/17/sean-diddy-combs-arrested-on-racketeering-sex-trafficking-charges-a-complete-timeline-of-allegations-against-him/">Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Arrested On Racketeering, Sex Trafficking Charges: A Complete Timeline Of Allegations Against Him</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Sean “Diddy” Combs Fulfills $1 Million Pledge To Howard University At Howard Homecoming – Yardfest

‘Diddy’ Arrest: 50 Cent, Charlamagne Tha God And Other Celebrities React


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Larry Ellison, Oracle’s billionaire chairman, surpassed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as the second-richest person in the world as Oracle’s shares surged again Monday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Ellison—who holds roughly 40% of Oracle’s shares—has a net worth of about $206 billion as of around 2:45 p.m. EDT after an increase of $8.3 billion (4.2%),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#79eecf883d78">according</a>&nbsp;to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires list.</p>



<p>Shares of Oracle have increased by nearly 5% to over $170, boosting Ellison’s net worth, while Amazon shares fell slightly (0.6%), subtracting about $1.6 billion from Bezos’ net worth of $203.4 billion.</p>



<p>Ellison now only trails Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $250.7 billion fortune for the title of the world’s richest person, while Bezos now ranks just ahead of Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg ($183.5 billion).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>$34 billion. That’s how much Ellison’s fortune has increased since reaching $172 billion on Sept. 6, when Ellison was ranked as the world’s fifth-wealthiest person.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Oracle’s stock has jumped 21% over the last five trading sessions after releasing a strong earnings report and guidance last week, surpassing analyst expectations. The cloud software firm also announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services, adding to earlier deals with Google and Microsoft. Oracle’s rally has swelled Ellison’s wealth, propelling the company’s 80-year-old chairman ahead of Zuckerberg and Bernard Arnault, the LVMH chief executive and Europe’s richest man. Ellison is set to become the controlling shareholder of CBS parent Paramount once David Ellison, Larry’s son and Skydance Media’s CEO, completes a takeover of the firm.</p>


Rebels With A Cause Gala 2019

Larry Ellison Becomes World’s Second-Richest Again—Passing Jeff Bezos


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, reacted to an apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Sunday by saying no one was trying to kill either President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, in a strongly-condemned post.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Musk reshared a post Sunday night asking why people want to kill Donald Trump and&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/OhrPX" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala,” followed by the thinking face emoji.</p>



<p>The post immediately faced blowback from X users, but the billionaire—who has endorsed Trump—appeared to double down,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835537404318392628" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">responding</a>&nbsp;with a “hundred points” emoji to a reply saying: “Trump threatens the machine. Biden/Kamala are the machine.”</p>



<p>Responding to another user who asked him to reconsider the post, saying “We need to unite,” Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835537833869623681" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “No one has even tried to do so is the point I’m making and no one will.”</p>



<p>A few hours later, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835572816730636430" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">responded</a>&nbsp;to a follower asking him to reword his post because people were “misinterpreting your obvious intent” by saying: “Fair enough…I don’t want to do what they have done, even in jest.”</p>



<p>After taking down the post, Musk appeared to suggest it was a joke,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1835573866271330307" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>: “One lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on X.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critics">Chief Critics</h2>



<p>Musk’s posts drew immediate condemnation from users on X. Conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/JonahDispatch/status/1835488915978957183" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">criticized</a>&nbsp;the post, calling it “appalling and indefensible.” Comedian Maz Jobrani tagged the Secret Secret service in his post,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MazJobrani/status/1835485451727364582" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">saying</a>: “You may want to pay this guy a visit. He ain’t right in the head!” Brett Meiselas, founder of the left-leaning online outlet Meidas Touch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BMeiselas/status/1835483332844671305" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “Ok this requires an IMMEDIATE visit by the secret service and federal charges. Lock this guy up. This is so dangerous.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Earlier on Sunday, the New Hampshire Libertarian Party was condemned after&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.is/Ca9Xg#selection-499.0-508.0" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tweeting</a>: “Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero.” The Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee, Chase Oliver, called the post “abhorrent” and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ChaseForLiberty/status/1835477641517748462" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote on X</a>: “I 100% condemn the statement from LPNH regarding Kamala Harris…As Libertarians, we condemn the use of force, whether committed by governments, individuals, or other political entities.” The party account, however, dismissed criticism and&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.ph/VGJLH" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a>: “Encouraging politicians to be shot is legal under the first amendment. It&#8217;s part of what makes this country great.” The account, however, eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LPNH/status/1835310685095628880" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">took down</a>&nbsp;the post and said they had done so because they did not want to “break the terms of this website we agreed to,” but added: “It&#8217;s a shame that even on a &#8220;free speech&#8221; website that libertarians cannot speak freely.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/15/trump-safe-after-attempted-assassination-suspect-identified/">Trump Safe After ‘Attempted Assassination’—Suspect Identified</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/16/trump-assassination-attempt-everything-we-know-about-the-arrested-suspect/">Trump Assassination Attempt: Everything We Know About The Arrested Suspect</a> (Forbes)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a></p>


Tech Illustration Images

Musk Posts Then Deletes ‘No One Is Even Trying To Assassinate Biden/Kamala’


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Women with obesity and diabetes taking weight loss and diabetes drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound for over a year lost more weight than their male counterparts—but also experienced more nausea and vomiting, according to new research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Researchers from Eli Lilly who tracked weight changes for a group of 4,677 people with Type 2 diabetes and obesity found female participants lost up to 24.6% of their body weight during treatment, while males lost up to 18.1% of their body weight.</p>



<p>The participants—2,999 females and 1,678 males—were followed for between 72 and 88 weeks, according to research presented this week at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes.</p>



<p>These participants took different doses of once weekly tirzepatide—the generic name for Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound—shots during this time period.</p>



<p>The researchers noted although safety levels were similar for both sexes, women experienced nausea and vomiting—two of the most common side effects of tirzepatide—at significantly higher rates than their male counterparts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-women-lose-more-weight-on-glp-1s-than-men">Why Do Women Lose More Weight On Glp-1s Than Men?</h2>



<p>“More research is needed to understand the mechanism by which females may experience more weight reduction in these trials,” Dr. Luis-Emilio García-Pérez, lead author and associate vice president of the Diabetes Global Medical Affairs team for Eli Lilly, said in a statement. However, previous research suggests there may be several factors that play a role in the difference of weight loss between men and women who take tirzepatide and other GLP-1 drugs. The differences in hormones between the two sexes may be the reason women lose more weight, according to a 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8950819/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">study</a>. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073510972407445X?via%3Dihub" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;published last month in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found women with obesity and heart failure taking GLP-1s lost more weight than male participants, and suggested differences in metabolism may be the reason. “As a general rule, females have more fat in their bodies, and it is distributed in a different way, which may respond to the mechanisms of action of this medication better,” Dr. John Lowe, a gastroenterologist and physician at Restore Care,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/wegovy-more-weight-loss-women#Why-Wegovy-might-help-females-lose-more-weight" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;Healthline. Lowe went on to add women suffer different societal pressures than men when it comes to body image, so this factor could make women more likely to stick to lifestyle changes—like diet and exercise—while adhering to the drug.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Glucagon-like peptide-1 (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551568/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">GLP-1</a>) receptor agonists are a class of drugs used to treat diabetes and weight loss by interacting with the hunger part of the brain to suppress the appetite, and lowering blood sugar and A1C. Two of the most popular GLP-1s are semaglutide (brand name&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2022/12/26/what-to-know-about-ozempic/">Ozempic</a>, Wegovy and Rybelsus) and tirzepatide, but other drugs in this class include dulaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide and lixisenatide. Tirzepatide is a two-part medication, as it’s a GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (<a href="https://my-bmi.co.uk/medical-therapy/what-are-gip-receptor-agonists/#:~:text=GIP%20receptor%20agonists%20work%20with,few%20benefits%20for%20certain%20patients." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">GIP</a>), which works with the GIP hormone in the brain to increase insulin production and control appetite.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>9 million. That’s about how many prescriptions of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound were written in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/27/ozempic-wegovy-drug-prescriptions-hit-9-million.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;from CNBC. Nine million people would represent roughly 2%-3% of the U.S. population.</p>


Mounjaro Photo Illustrations

Women Taking Mounjaro And Zepbound Lose More Weight Than Men, New Study Suggests: What To Know


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Vice President Kamala Harris vaulted past President Donald Trump to become the bookmaker’s favorite to win the November election on Tuesday night, after a strong showing in the first presidential debate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>According to the Election Betting Odds&nbsp;<a href="https://electionbettingodds.com/President2024.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tracker</a>, which consolidates betting numbers from four separate markets, bookmakers now believe Harris has a 51.8% chance of winning compared to Trump’s 46.9%.</p>



<p>This is a major shift in favor of Harris, whose chances have risen by more than four and half points in the past 24 hours, while Trump’s have plummeted by four.</p>



<p>Bettors on crypto-based betting platform&nbsp;<a href="https://polymarket.com/elections" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Polymarket</a>—who heavily favored a Trump win in the past two weeks—now believe both Harris and Trump have a 49% chance of winning.</p>



<p>On the British betting site Smarkets, bookmakers predict that Harris now has a 51.55% chance of winning—up from 47.5%&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/05/election-betting-markets-swing-towards-trump-again/">last week</a>—while Trump’s odds have dropped to 46.3%.</p>



<p>On&nbsp;<a href="https://www.predictit.org/markets/detail/7456/Who-will-win-the-2024-US-presidential-election" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">PredictIt</a>, the only platform where bettors gave Harris better odds than Trump before the debate, the vice president expanded her lead and now has odds of 56 cents per share (roughly equating to a 56% chance) compared to Trump’s 47 cents per share.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



<p>While the betting markets believe the election remains fairly close, this is a strong consensus among bettors that Harris won the debate.&nbsp;<a href="https://polymarket.com/event/who-will-win-the-debate-according-to-polls?tid=1726035558946" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Polymarket</a>&nbsp;bookmakers believe Harris has a 98% chance of being judged the winner of Tuesday night’s debate in consolidated post-debate snap polls.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>2.7%. That is the size of Harris’ lead over Trump in national polls, according to FiveThirtyEight’s&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/national/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">weighted average</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Unlike the other betting markets, PredictIt&nbsp;<a href="https://www.predictit.org/terms-and-conditions" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">only allows</a>&nbsp;participation by U.S. residents who are 18 or older. Earlier this year, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/10/cftc-election-betting-ban-00157304" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">proposed a ban</a>&nbsp;on all election-related betting in the U.S. derivatives market. The agency’s proposal came after being sued by PredictIt for trying to shut down the platform from taking bets on the presidential race—after previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/7047-14" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">allowing it</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/05/election-betting-markets-swing-towards-trump-again/">Election Betting Markets Swing Towards Trump Again</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/09/10/trump-vs-harris-2024-polls-harris-leads-by-2-points-in-latest-survey/">Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Harris Up By 1 Point—As Her Lead Plateaus Before Debate</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


ABC News Hosts Second Presidential Debate

Harris Surges Past Trump In Election Betting Markets After First Presidential Debate


<p><strong>The former head of Rockwell Collins is ‘so competitive it’s scary’ says one industry insider, with a reputation for building a positive corporate culture and treating employees well.</strong></p>



<p>Wall Street wanted an outsider with engineering and manufacturing experience to be Boeing’s next CEO. The embattled company’s board of directors delivered Wednesday, announcing that former Rockwell Collins CEO Robert “Kelly” Ortberg will take the reins on August 8. He will replace outgoing CEO David Calhoun, who struggled to lead the company through confidence-shaking problems with the quality of its airplanes and lingering dislocations from the steep drop in production during the Covid pandemic.</p>



<p>Analysts and aerospace consultants praised the appointment of Ortberg, 64, who built Rockwell Collins into one of the industry’s dominant avionics suppliers, growing revenue from $4 billion in 2013 when he became CEO to $9 billion in 2018, when the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based company was acquired by United Technologies.</p>



<p>Loren Thompson, a longtime aerospace and defense consultant who worked with Rockwell Collins, described Ortberg as one of the most impressive CEOs he’s dealt with. “He’s so competitive it’s scary,” Thompson told&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>. &#8220;He’s an exceptionally focused, detail-oriented executive.”</p>



<p>Ortberg, an Iowa native who earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Iowa, built a positive corporate culture and a strong leadership team at Rockwell, Sheila Kahyaoglu, an analyst with Jefferies, wrote in a note. “He was well liked by employees and direct reports and very personable. This was while being a tough negotiator dealing with a diverse set of customers.”</p>



<p>His biggest customer: Boeing.</p>



<p>Ortberg’s deep background with parts makers makes him a good pick at a time when the aerospace and defense supply chain is struggling to meet airplane and weapon makers’ demands to raise production, Richard Aboulafia, a managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, told&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>. It should also help Boeing improve relations with suppliers who have felt squeezed by the company’s attempts to wring cost savings out of them over the past decade, he said.</p>



<p>“Most of Boeing’s problems are rooted in two dysfunctions: how they treated their workforce and how they treated their supply chain,” said Aboulafia. “I think he&#8217;ll really understand what needs to be done with both of them.”</p>



<p>At Rockwell, Ortberg’s focus on technology development was key to building an outperformer in a place not known for corporate world-beaters, said Thompson. Under Ortberg, Rockwell “pioneer[ed] the idea of a connected aircraft across avionics, auxiliary power units, controls, flight decks, and more,” wrote Kahyaoglu.</p>



<p>Ortberg was chosen over Stephanie Pope, an insider with a finance background&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2024/04/05/boeing-737-max-stephanie-pope/">whom Calhoun had championed</a>, and Pat Shanahan, a former Boeing executive and CEO of key supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2024/07/01/boeing-spirit-737-max/">Boeing agreed to buy earlier this month</a>.</p>



<p>One of the first challenges Ortberg will face is contract negotiations with the union representing Boeing’s machinists and assembly workers at its factories in Washington State, which will get under way in earnest next month.</p>



<p>They’re expected to be contentious: Boeing workers are still angry over the terms the company negotiated in 2013, including the end of their pension plans. Meanwhile Boeing took a hard line in contract talks earlier this year with its firefighters and pilots. The 32,000 members of the International Association of Machinists District Council 751 voted earlier this month to authorize their leaders to call a strike.</p>



<p>“We wonder if management and the board will seek to avoid a high-profile strike so early in the tenure of a new CEO who is intended to help Boeing turn over a new leaf,” Seth Seifman, an analyst with JPMorgan, wrote in a note.</p>



<p>Ortberg faces a host of other issues. Boeing has slowed production of its best-selling airliner, the 737 MAX, as it seeks to eliminate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremybogaisky/2024/02/17/boeing-737-max-workers/">long-festering manufacturing problems</a>&nbsp;spotlighted in January in the wake of the shocking midair blowout of a panel on an Alaska Airlines plane. The company has agreed with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to a felony charge of defrauding the U.S. government by failing to abide by the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement it struck over its role in two deadly 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. And in tandem with announcing Ortberg’s appointment, Boeing reported a wider than expected net loss of $1.44 billion for the second quarter. It hasn’t posted an annual profit since 2018.</p>



<p>“Clearly there are a massive number of problems at Boeing, but with Kelly as CEO we think there is at least a chance of fixing them,” wrote analyst Robert Stallard of Vertical Research.</p>



<p>Investors reacted positively to the news: Boeing shares were trading up 3% to $193 shortly after noon Wednesday.</p>


Operations Inside The Rockwell Collins Inc. Production Facility

Boeing May Have Gotten It Right With Kelly Ortberg As CEO

A Livestock Company in Zhangjiakou

Bird Flu (H5N1) Explained: CDC Reports First Case With No Known Animal Exposure


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>States with an overexposure to artificial light pollution—particularly at night—are linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, according to a new study by scientists at Rush University Medical Center, the latest research to suggest people’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer&#8217;s may be tied to their environments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>In the study published Friday by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2024.1378498/abstract" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Frontiers in Neuroscience</a>&nbsp;journal, scientists say exposure to artificial outdoor light at night was correlated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer&#8217;s disease—though the study didn’t make a direct causal link.</p>



<p>Researchers used satellite acquired data to determine nighttime light intensity in states and compared that data with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease prevalence in the same states, finding that a positive correlation was found in states with the most light pollution in every year studied (from 2012 to 2018).</p>



<p>States with the most light pollution—and the highest Alzheimer&#8217;s disease prevalence—included Florida, Connecticut and New Jersey, while Montana, New Mexico, Vermont, Idaho, Wyoming and Oregon had lower instances of both.</p>



<p>Nighttime light pollution had a stronger correlation to Alzheimer&#8217;s disease risk than alcohol abuse, chronic kidney disease, depression, heart failure and obesity, the study showed, but less of a link to the conditions of atrial fibrillation, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and stroke.</p>



<p>In people under age 65, however, nighttime light exposure was more strongly associated with Alzheimer’s prevalence than any of the other disease factors studied.</p>



<p>Light pollution is the latest in a list of environmental factors that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/10-years-alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias-research/increased-understanding-how-social#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20higher%20education%20levels,raises%20the%20risk%20of%20dementia." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">studies suggest</a>&nbsp;could be linked to the risk of developing Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, including living near green spaces, long-term exposure to air pollution and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7663191/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">chemical exposures</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>80%. That’s how much of the global population experiences light pollution, according to the study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Light pollution, defined as nighttime artificial light from, for example, poorly shielded and overly bright light fixtures, has long been considered to be mostly harmless, researchers said, but more recent studies have linked light pollution to harsh ecological, behavioral, biological, and health consequences. The concept of light pollution was first pointed out by astronomers in the 1970s, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2023/january/increasing-light-pollution-drowning-out-stars.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">National History Museum</a>, as those who studied the night sky noted the increasing impact of artificial light on their work. At the time, the sky was estimated to have been becoming brighter by between 3 and 6% every year, the museum said, but that rate has increased to almost 10% annually around the globe, with an even faster growth rate in North America (10.5%). In addition to impacting the view of the night sky—roughly 30% of people have lost the ability to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/milky-way-now-hidden-from-third-of-humanity#:~:text=June%2010%2C%202016,Image%20credit:%20National%20Park%20Service)" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">see the Milky Way</a>, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—scientists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/06/light-pollution-health-climate/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">have noted</a>&nbsp;that over illumination at night highlights the waste of energy contributing to climate change and can decrease the nighttime cleansing of the atmosphere. Other research, like the study published Friday, is also increasingly starting to suggest light pollution can have adverse effects on human and wildlife health. Light pollution, from LED lights and electronic devices in particular, impacts circadian sleep rhythms, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-adopts-guidance-reduce-harm-high-intensity-street-lights" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">American Medical Association</a>, which can increase the risk of obesity and decrease the production of melatonin. Exposure to artificial outdoor light at night is also associated with increased obesity, depression, anxiety, memory dysfunction, atherosclerosis and cancer, the Rush University Medical Center says.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">Surprising Fact</h2>



<p>Singapore, Qatar and Kuwait are among the most light polluted countries in the world, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/light-pollution/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">National Geographic</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>Sea turtles have long been studied as a species dramatically impacted by light pollution. Female sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches and their hatchlings navigate toward the sea by using the natural light of the moon to orient themselves away from land and toward the sea. When artificial light sources are introduced and mimic that natural light, however, newly hatched turtles become disoriented and can accidentally navigate away from the sea—a mistake <a href="https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-threats-artificial-lighting/#:~:text=Lighting%20near%20the%20shore%20also,is%20usually%20over%20the%20ocean." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most don’t survive</a>. Similarly, about 10,000 migratory birds are hurt or killed each year by crashing into skyscrapers and high-rise buildings after being confused by brightly lit buildings, according to a study published in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2627884/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Library of Medicine</a>.</p>


Neurology research, conceptual image

Alzheimer’s Risk Linked To Light Pollution, New Study Finds


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The first mRNA mpox vaccine to be pitted against licensed vaccines beat its rivals by easing symptoms and potentially cutting transmission, according to new research published Tuesday, a coup for manufacturer Moderna as it strives to prove itself beyond COVID-19 amid efforts to contain an escalating outbreak of mpox in Africa.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The peer reviewed study, published in the journal Cell, marks the first time an mRNA vaccine has been directly compared to the already-licenced shot, Bavarian Nordic’s modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine, sold under brand names Jynneos, Imvamune and Imvanex, in nonhuman primates, said Moderna virology researcher and author Alec Freyn.</p>



<p>To test the two shots, researchers from Moderna, the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Boston University gave each vaccine to six macaques, exposing them to a lethal strain of the virus eight weeks later and monitoring their health and blood for signs of an immune response for another month.</p>



<p>All animals vaccinated with Bavarian Nordic’s MVA shot and Moderna’s experimental vaccine, mRNA-1769, survived the trial, while five of the six macaques in an unvaccinated control group died from the disease, researchers said, and the Moderna group had higher numbers of antibodies in blood samples, suggesting a stronger immune response.</p>



<p>As well as preventing lethal infections, the researchers said Moderna’s investigational vaccine reduced disease severity compared to the licensed shot—mRNA-immunized macaques had a maximum of 54 mpox lesions compared to 607 in the Bavarian group and 1,448 in the unvaccinated group—and shortened disease duration by more than 10 days.</p>



<p>Macaques in the mRNA group also had lower amounts of the mpox virus in both their blood and throat swabs, suggesting Moderna’s vaccine could also be effective at reducing virus transmission.</p>



<p>“With the mRNA technology, we&#8217;re able to produce a vaccine that gives quite potent responses with a very tolerable safety profile,” said senior author Jay Hooper, a virologist at USAMRIID, adding that an mRNA shot could help prevent the disease spreading without the safety issues that prevent widespread use of some other vaccines used for mpox, such as Emergent BioSolutions’ smallpox shot ACAM2000.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral illness caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. In August, the World Health Organization&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/16/who-declares-mpox-a-public-health-emergency-heres-what-to-know/">declared</a>&nbsp;a growing outbreak in central Africa a public health emergency of international concern. It is the second time the agency has made such a warning, the highest level of alert it can sound under international law, in as many years, following a global outbreak in 2022. That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/21/mpox-explained-key-details-on-latest-virus-outbreak/">outbreak</a>, which predominantly affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, was driven by a different and milder variant behind the outbreak we are seeing now, which data suggests could kill as many as 10% of people it infects. Young children, pregnant people and those with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk and symptoms of infection include a fever, swollen lymph nodes and characteristic, pus-filled rash. The virus spreads primarily through close contact with infected people, animals or contaminated materials like towels and while the variant was historically limited to small outbreaks in central Africa, it appears to have mutated into a more transmissible form.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">News Peg</h2>



<p>The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there have been at least 17,500 cases and 517 deaths from the virus in 2024 alone, though officials acknowledge surveillance is limited and warn the figure is potentially much higher. Amid ongoing outbreaks of the clade IIb virus variant responsible for the 2022 global outbreak, a handful of clade Ib infections have since been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/21/mpox-explained-key-details-on-latest-virus-outbreak/">reported</a>&nbsp;outside of Africa, including in Sweden and Thailand, though most are still located within the Democratic Republic of Congo and nearby countries. While there are a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/08/22/mpox-vaccine-maker-bavarian-nordic-shares-soar-amid-concern-over-virus-outbreak/">number</a>&nbsp;of authorized vaccines for use against mpox, constraints like cost, availability or suitability have hindered widespread uptake. Supplies of the preferred shot, Bavarian Nordic’s MVA vaccine, are limited, for example, and it is relatively expensive and has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/mpox/cases-data/JYNNEOS-vaccine-effectiveness.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">limited</a>&nbsp;effectiveness at reducing the severity of symptoms and curbing transmissibility. Emergent’s ACAM2000, on the other hand, is in plentiful supply due to stockpiling against a potential smallpox threat and can cut the risk of transmission effectively but the risk of severe side effects may make widespread use inappropriate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">What To Watch For</h2>



<p>The tests Moderna are conducting in nonhuman primates are being run&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-mpox-vaccine-being-tested-in-the-uk/35622" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">alongside tests</a>&nbsp;in humans. The company’s mRNA-1796 shot is being assessed in an early stage clinical trial to determine safety, tolerability and immune response over a range of doses. The outcomes of this will determine the trajectory of future trials for the vaccine.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-mrna-vaccines-work">How Do Mrna Vaccines Work?</h2>



<p>Vaccines train your body to fight off pathogens in a safer way than if they were encountered naturally. This involves presenting the immune system with something it would later recognize and respond to if encountered at a later date, giving it a head start to help prevent infection entirely or reduce disease transmissibility and the severity of symptoms. Most vaccines make use of a weakened or inactivated (killed) version of the disease-causing germ, or a specific part of the germ like a protein or sugar, to spark an immune response, which impose limits on how fast a new shot can be developed and scaled up. mRNA shots work by providing instructions to the body allowing it to produce part of the germ itself, triggering an immune response without needing any exposure to the germ. By nature, mRNA shots can be more flexible and specific than shots using the entire virus.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-mrna-vaccines-help-tackle-emerging-pandemics">Can Mrna Vaccines Help Tackle Emerging Pandemics?</h2>



<p>The swift development, testing and approval of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic was a landmark moment for public health and the first time mRNA shots had been authorized after decades of struggles and setbacks. The scalability of mRNA vaccines outpaced more traditional methods, illustrating why experts now believe the technology platform will be a crucial tool for tackling emerging pandemic <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/03/gsk-secures-mrna-vaccines-for-bird-flu-covid-and-seasonal-flu-from-struggling-biotech-curevac/">threats</a>. Many experts and health groups like the <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/prioritizing-diseases-for-research-and-development-in-emergency-contexts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (<a href="https://cepi.net/priority-diseases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CEPI</a>) flag diseases like <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/02/moderna-scores-federal-funding-for-mrna-bird-flu-vaccine-as-pandemic-fears-grow/">bird flu</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/07/22/what-to-know-about-the-deadly-nipah-virus-as-india-races-to-contain-another-outbreak/">Nipah</a>, Lassa Fever, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/03/27/what-is-marburg-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-killer-ebola-like-virus-spreading-in-parts-of-africa/">Ebola and Marburg</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/10/23/us-scientists-deliberately-infected-people-with-zika-heres-why/">Zika</a>, coronaviruses like COVID-19, SARS and MERS and Rift Valley fever as urgent priorities for research given their high potential to seed future pandemics and the absence of countermeasures. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/05/22/british-scientists-warned-monkeypox-would-fill-void-left-smallpox/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">some experts</a> have long <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/05/27/1101751627/scientists-warned-us-about-monkeypox-in-1988-heres-why-they-were-right" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a> one of humanity’s greatest public health achievements—the eradication of smallpox through a highly successful vaccination campaign—has potentially left the world vulnerable to outbreaks of related diseases that can exploit our lack of immunity now that we no longer immunize ourselves against it. Mpox, an Orthopoxvirus like smallpox virus variola, is one such threat, and there are many other viruses in the group like camelpox, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/02/12/what-to-know-about-alaskapox-after-officials-confirm-first-death-from-recently-discovered-virus/">Alaskapox</a>, cowpox, rabbitpox, dolphinpox and horsepox, some of which are known to infect humans and for which the risks are Blood serum from vaccinated macaques “neutralized not only mpox but also vaccinia, cowpox, rabbitpox, camelpox, and ectromelia virus,” Freyn said, a sign the vaccine would convey at least some protection against the virus. “We believe that this vaccine may protect from other Orthopoxvirus threats that may emerge in the future,” he said.</p>


A Covid-19 Vaccination Site As Children Under 5-Years Old Become Eligible For Shot

Moderna’s First mRNA Mpox Vaccine Beats Licensed Rival Shots In Early Testing

Cannes Lions International Festival Of Creativity 2024 – Day Three

The Top 10 Richest People In The World (September 2024)


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Managing the early stages of medication abortion care at home later in pregnancy is safe and cuts down time spent in hospital, according to new research&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01079-1/fulltext" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, which researchers say could boost access to the procedure as reproductive rights stand out as a key issue in the 2024 election.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Almost all abortions in the United States are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/data-statistics/abortion-surveillance-findings-reports.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">performed</a>&nbsp;at or before 13 weeks of pregnancy—the first trimester—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and clinical guidelines typically recommend the procedure be performed exclusively in clinical settings after the 12-week mark so patients can remain under observation.</p>



<p>Medication abortions involve taking two types of pills to end pregnancy—mifepristone, which blocks a hormone needed for pregnancy to continue, and misoprostol, which makes the womb contract—and for abortions after 12 weeks patients are usually given mifepristone in a clinic and return to a day or two later to receive misoprostol until the procedure is complete, a process that frequently requires an overnight stay in hospital.</p>



<p>Based on a randomized control trial of 435 women having a medical abortion between 12 and 22 weeks published in the Lancet medical journal, researchers from universities and hospitals in Sweden found medical abortions conducted after 12 weeks of pregnancy were as safe and as effective when misoprostol was started at home instead of in hospital and that women managing the early stages of care at home spent less time in hospital.</p>



<p>Of the pregnant people starting misoprostol at home and returning to clinics to receive further doses—several are usually required to complete the procedure—71% spent fewer than nine hours in hospital, compared to 46% of those in the hospital treatment group, the peer reviewed study showed.</p>



<p>There were no differences in the pain reported by patients in either group, the type and number of side effects or rates of hospital admission earlier than what was planned, the researchers said, adding that a follow up survey revealed 78% of the home group said they preferred their allocated treatment option compared to just 49% of the hospital group.</p>



<p>One of the study’s authors Johanna Rydelius, a gynecologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and researcher at the University of Gothenburg, said the findings offer a safe alternative to a practice that often requires overnight stays many women “find stressful and isolating” and could potentially lead to more “feelings of autonomy during a time where women can feel extremely vulnerable.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>“Increasing access to abortion later in pregnancy is a crucial component of the struggle for reproductive autonomy,” said Heidi Moseson and Caitlin Gerdts, researchers at Ibis Reproductive Health, a U.S. non-profit reproductive health research organization, in a linked comment piece published alongside the study in the Lancet. Given the “overwhelming preference for at-home” misoprostol administration among the pregnant people involved in the study, Moseson and Gerdts, who were not involved in the research, said reforming guidance and “moving towards a less clinically supervised model of medical abortion care later in pregnancy is an important first step” for improving access.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-current-guidelines-recommend-facility-based-medication-abortions-after-12-weeks">Why Do Current Guidelines Recommend Facility-Based Medication Abortions After 12 Weeks?</h2>



<p>This is because of the greater risk of complications the procedure carries in later stages of pregnancy that may require additional care. This could include pain, bleeding, infection or an incomplete abortion (material remaining). But despite “profound” implications for access, the requirement to administer medications in clinical settings is “driven primarily by the absence of data on alternative models of care,” Moseson and Gerdts explained. This system “limits the number and type of facilities that can offer abortion care after 12 weeks,” they added, pointing to limited bed spaces and staffing requirements needed to keep people overnight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, many states across the U.S. have harshly restricted access to abortion. The procedure is now&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2024/jul/29/abortion-laws-bans-by-state" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">banned</a>&nbsp;from conception in 14 states and from six weeks—a time many people are not even aware they are pregnant—in four states, with the future of abortion uncertain in a handful of other states due to legal challenges. While exceptions are made under limited circumstances in states banning abortion, these vary by state and clinicians and health experts have complained the vague or inconsistent language setting out exceptions are out of touch with medical reality and unworkable in practice. This fits within broader efforts to roll back reproductive care even further, such as Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2qq1wqw3w2o" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">attempts</a>&nbsp;to restrict access to mifepristone. The matter has polarized the country and both Democrats and Republicans have seized upon reproductive healthcare as a major dividing issue for the upcoming presidential election.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>625,978. That’s how many legal induced abortions there were in the U.S. in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductive-health/data-statistics/abortion-surveillance-findings-reports.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according</a>&nbsp;to the CDC, excluding California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey, which did not submit data to the agency. Almost all of these, 93.5%, happened at or before 13 weeks.</p>


Woman holding pills and glass of water while standing in kitchen at home

Self-Managing Some Abortion Care Later In Pregnancy Is Safe, Effective And Boosts Access, Researchers Say


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called for expanded military operations in the West Bank as the country’s forces conducted a series of major raids and air strikes in the occupied territory on Wednesday, which Palestinian authorities say have resulted in at least nine deaths so far.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Facts</h2>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-08-28-2024-41d98ed3cda2ba4a783913b06fbdc7d1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">According to</a>&nbsp;the Associated Press, the Israeli military confirmed its operations in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank—with the governor of Jenin announcing on local radio that the IDF had surrounded the city and closed off all main roads.</p>



<p>The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, said the raids have resulted in at least nine deaths—two in Jenin and seven in the city of Tubas.</p>



<p>In an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-08-28/ty-article-live/israel-launches-counterterror-op-in-west-bank-palestinians-say-at-least-four-killed/00000191-96c7-d13a-ab93-def775cb0000?liveBlogItemId=743582086&amp;utm_source=site&amp;utm_medium=button&amp;utm_campaign=live_blog_item#743582086" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>, the Israeli military said it had killed five terrorists in an airstrike near the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem.</p>



<p>Katz also confirmed the Israeli raid into refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarm in an X&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Israel_katz/status/1828654399360586025" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>, saying the IDF is working to dismantle the “Iranian-backed terror network” in the West Bank.</p>



<p>Citing a military source, the Times of Israel reported that the IDF’s raid in the West Bank is expected to last several days.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">News Peg</h2>



<p>In his&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Israel_katz/status/1828654399360586025" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;confirming the West Bank raids, the Israeli foreign minister suggested more should be done to deal with the “threat” in the West Bank, the same “as we deal with terror infrastructure in Gaza.” Katz suggested this should include the “temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians” from the West Bank and “any other step needed.” Katz claims Iran was attempting to establish another front against Israel in the West Bank following the “model it used in Lebanon and Gaza, by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Big Number</h2>



<p>652. That is the total number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza in October last year, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. In Gaza, more than 40,400 people have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/least-7-killed-israeli-strikes-west-bank-2024-08-28/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">died</a>&nbsp;since the start of the conflict, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The death toll numbers do not separate combatants and non-combatants, however, in May the UN&nbsp;<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240514-%F0%9F%94%B4-live-white-house-sees-no-genocide-in-gaza-condemns-aid-convoy-attacks" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;at least 56% of the victims are women and children.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Background</h2>



<p>The strikes and raids in the West Bank come amid concerns of an expanded conflict in the region as a ceasefire in Gaza remains distant. Over the weekend, Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/08/25/major-israel-hezbollah-escalation-fire-exchanged-as-wider-war-feared/">conducted airstrikes</a>&nbsp;on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, claiming it was a preemptive action to prevent an attack by the Iran-backed militant group. Hezbollah responded to the strikes by firing multiple rockets into Israel, raising fears of an all-out war between the two sides.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-08-28-2024-41d98ed3cda2ba4a783913b06fbdc7d1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Palestinian officials say Israeli raids across the occupied West Bank have killed 9</a>&nbsp;(Associated Press)</p>


Israeli army raids Jenin in West Bank

Israeli Minister Calls For Gaza-Like Action In West Bank As IDF Conducts Major Raid


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/08/26/uber-fined-record-324-million-in-netherlands-for-transferring-sensitive-eu-driver-data-to-us/#open-web-0"></a><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/08/26/uber-fined-record-324-million-in-netherlands-for-transferring-sensitive-eu-driver-data-to-us/#open-web-0"></a>Topline</h2>



<p>Dutch privacy regulators hit Uber with a record $324 million (€290 million) fine Monday for violating the European Union’s data protection laws by transferring sensitive personal data of its drivers to the U.S. without adequate safeguards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The Dutch Data Protection Authority said its investigation found Uber had transferred the personal data of European cab drivers—including taxi licenses, IDs, location data, photos, payment details, and “in some cases even criminal and medical records,” to the U.S.</p>



<p>The agency said Uber transferred this data to the U.S. for over two years without proper transfer tools designed to protect user privacy—in violation of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).</p>



<p>Uber ended this violation and has implemented the proper safeguards since late last year, the Dutch DPA said.</p>



<p>According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-26/uber-hit-by-record-324-million-fine-for-data-transfers-to-us?utm_source=twitter&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_content=business&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;embedded-checkout=true" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>, the $324 million penalty is the biggest issued by the Dutch DPA and the biggest fine Uber has faced globally.</p>



<p>Forbes has reached out to Uber for comment, but the company told Bloomberg the fine is “completely unjustified,” claiming it was compliant with the laws and will file an appeal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>“In Europe, the GDPR protects people&#8217;s fundamental rights by requiring companies and governments to handle personal data with care. But outside Europe, this is unfortunately not the case…This is why companies are usually obliged to take extra measures if they store personal data of Europeans outside the European Union,” Dutch DPA Chair Aleid Wolfsen said, adding Uber’s violation was “very serious.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Earlier this year, the Dutch DPA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/dutch-watchdog-fines-uber-10-mln-euros-over-privacy-regulations-infringement-2024-01-31/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">fined</a>&nbsp;Uber $11 million (€10 million) for how it handled the retention of drivers’ personal data. The agency found Uber had not properly laid out terms and conditions for how long it retains driver personal data. The DPA also found Uber’s process for allowing drivers to make personal data access requests “unnecessarily complicated.” Both the previous fine and the latest one stem from an investigation launched by the Dutch agency in response to a complaint filed by 170 French drivers with the country’s privacy regulator. The investigation was handed over to the Dutch DPA, since Uber’s EU operations are headquartered in the Netherlands. Under the EU’s GDPR laws, violating companies can be fined up to 4% of their annual global revenue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-26/uber-hit-by-record-324-million-fine-for-data-transfers-to-us" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Uber Hit by Record $324 Million Fine for Data Transfers to US</a>&nbsp;(Bloomberg)</p>


Uber Headquarters Ahead Of Earnings Figures

Uber Fined Record $324 Million In Netherlands For Transferring Sensitive EU Driver Data To U.S.


<p><strong>Coaching programs that rely on artificial intelligence are cheap, accessible and increasingly popular for practicing tough workplace conversations or getting tips for negotiating a raise. But privacy questions and skepticism over the quality of non-human answers could slow adoption.</strong></p>



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<p>Y<strong>ou’ve trusted artificial intelligence</strong>&nbsp;to plan a vacation itinerary, write a cover letter for a new job and even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2024/02/14/dating-apps-ai-chatgpt-tinder-hinge-bumble-match/#:~:text=YourMove%20AI%20bills%20itself%20as,and%20generate%20dating%20photos%20compatible">flirt on your behalf with your next date</a>. But would you trust it with career advice?</p>



<p>A growing number of businesses are betting you will. Coaching or workforce learning platforms like BetterUp, Multiverse and LinkedIn—as well as startups like Valence and Wisq—are only some of the AI-powered coaching chatbots entering the market.</p>



<p>During a time of layoffs and budget cuts, as companies seek to help workers hone their interpersonal skills, AI is emerging, ironically, as a cheaper and more accessible alternative to traditionally high-cost human coaching.</p>



<p>AI coaching refers broadly to a variety of apps and programs that are powered by generative AI technology and provide advice about tricky situations or career challenges. Users query a chatbot and get real-time, interactive feedback on everything from the best way to negotiate a raise to how to search for a new job to how to delegate work or give feedback to teammates.</p>



<p>This is still a relatively niche business—Gartner’s HR practice tells&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>&nbsp;it is still too small of a market to measure—but both employers and workers are starting to embrace it. Its emergence comes at a time when more people and companies are seeking help with career development, and understandably so. In an economy where fewer people are quitting or changing jobs, workers are nervous about promotion opportunities. Meanwhile, many also feel frustrated by a lack of hands-on management training during the pandemic or concerned about how AI is already reshaping job descriptions and making some of their skills obsolete.</p>



<p>Some 47% of companies surveyed by LinkedIn for its&nbsp;<a href="https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/amp/learning-solutions/images/wlr-2024/LinkedIn-Workplace-Learning-Report-2024.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">2024 Workforce Report</a>&nbsp;said they are investing in career mentoring and coaching for their workforce, and a survey by Gartner found that 42% of employees would be comfortable asking an AI coach about the next steps in their career. Another survey by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.intoo.com/us/blog/unlocking-organizational-success-report-press-release/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">INTOO</a>, a career and outplacement firm, found that nearly half of respondents aged 21 to 26 think they get better advice from AI, including ChatGPT, than from their managers.</p>



<p>So it’s no surprise that startups are attracting investments and companies are rolling out new products. For example, in June, Menlo Park, Cal.-based Rising Team closed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rising-team-raises-8-million-series-a-and-introduces-personalized-ai-leadership-coach-for-building-high-performing-teams-302165554.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">$8 million</a>&nbsp;seed round that it’s using in part to add an AI leadership coach,&nbsp;<a href="https://risingteam.com/#aRTiHelps" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">aRTi</a>, to its team performance platform. Management AI coaching tool Wisq, which has raised over $40 million in funding since May 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wisq-launches-first-personalized-ai-guide-for-managers-302113194.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">launched a new program</a>&nbsp;aimed at mid-level managers in April.</p>



<p>“Employers are all over it,” says Ujjwal Singh, chief technology and product officer at London-based apprenticeship startup Multiverse, adding that 64% of its customers now use its AI career coach. That’s up 15% from last quarter. “They’re really pushing this hard.”</p>



<p>Yet even as demand rises, AI career coaching faces hurdles to widespread adoption, including concerns some workers may have about the privacy of employer-provided sessions and questions about the quality of tools’ responses. More customized responses rely on personal information users may be hesitant to give—and on the real-life experiences that human coaches can draw upon when counseling clients.</p>



<p>Some early research suggests that in some scenarios, AI coaching can be as effective as the human version. For example, a study&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0270255" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;in the journal PLOS found that research groups using human coaches and those using AI coaches were just as efficient when it came to reaching set goals.</p>



<p>But at this point, skepticism is still warranted. “We&#8217;re a long way from a typical human being wanting [coaching] from a machine,” says Joseph Fuller, a Harvard Business School professor who co-leads its Managing the Future of Work initiative. But, he adds, given the rapid improvements in AI, “it’s pretty dumb to bet against them.”</p>



<p>T<strong>his much is for sure:</strong>&nbsp;AI coaching is a lot cheaper for employers than the human variety, which, with an average cost of&nbsp;<a href="https://coachingfederation.org/app/uploads/2023/04/2023ICFGlobalCoachingStudy_ExecutiveSummary.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">$244 an hour,</a>&nbsp;has typically been provided only to companies’ top performers or senior executives. (For comparison, Wisq charges between $50 and $150 per user per year for a combination of human and AI coaching.) It&#8217;s also designed to be accessible, with several AI coaches integrated directly into apps most workers use daily, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams<strong>.</strong></p>



<p>In 2023, the American market for coaching was worth $14.2 billion, according to market research firm IBISWorld. During the pandemic, Zoom enabled coaches to take on remote clients, expanding their client base further, points out Carlos Cuadrado Ortiz, an associate principal and coach at consulting firm Korn Ferry.</p>



<p>AI could be a big accelerator for the industry, enabling companies to provide coaching to more employees and human coaches to serve more clients by using AI tools to address the simplest questions. That explains why some big career businesses are adding AI features or acquiring smaller startups. LinkedIn, for instance, launched an AI virtual coach in October that helps users find new jobs personalized to their profile. The AI coach’s answers pull from large language models that are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariagraciasantillanalinares/2024/06/13/linkedin-releases-ai-resum-and-cover-letter-help-for-premium-users/">trained</a>&nbsp;on advice provided by a handful of human coaches who earn royalty fees.</p>



<p>In March, BetterUp, a coaching and mental health platform that has reached&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katiejennings/2021/06/07/venture-funding-for-mental-health-startups-hits-record-high-as-anxiety-depression-skyrocket/">unicorn</a>&nbsp;status (it was last valued at $4.7 billion in 2021 according to Pitchbook), acquired Practica, an early AI coaching provider, to grow its own AI offerings. (The company still offers human coaching to all users.) The new AI services include a “role play” function that lets users practice conversations with a voice-prompted chatbot about thorny topics, such as asking for a raise or sharing critical feedback. The AI might tell a user, for example, that they sounded defensive when delivering bad news or too nervous when making a case for a promotion.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, startups like Toronto-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.valence.co/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Valence</a>&nbsp;and Paris-based&nbsp;<a href="https://coachello.io/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Coachello</a>&nbsp;added AI chatbots to their online coaching services last year. Grettel Seiger, a leadership development manager based in Basel, Switzerland, started trying out Coachello with a small group of employees a month ago and says it’s been a way for colleagues to get help earlier in their careers without the high cost.</p>



<p>Those who’ve started using it have opened up about the dilemmas they face, she adds, noting “you don’t feel judged” like you might with some managers. Asking the AI chatbot follow-up questions has also helped her define exactly what help she needs. “The whole process became cathartic,’’ she says.</p>



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<p>B<strong>ut good coaching,</strong>&nbsp;and good advice, is rarely about quick answers; it relies on probing questions—or in AI speak, collecting more data. “Coaching is about guiding someone in a certain direction, [or] nudging people,” says Multiverse’s Singh. “I don’t think AI is quite there yet” when it comes to complex, relationship-focused questions, he adds.</p>



<p>At a broad level, some AI tools have been known to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2024/07/11/this-ai-powered-coach-catches-hallucinations-in-other-ai-models/">make up answers</a>&nbsp;or at times give&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cyrusfarivar/2024/07/23/target-employees-hate-its-new-ai-chatbot/">wrong information</a>. Massara Almafrachi, a third-year law student at Western New England Law School, says that asking an AI chatbot for career advice has resulted in confusing and irrelevant answers. “I’m already confused about my career,” she says. “AI [only] throws me in a bigger loop.”</p>



<p>Katie Kirsch, the founder of a coaching company called Lume and a 2024&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/katie-kirsch/"><em>Forbes</em>&nbsp;Under 30 listmaker</a>, says she may one day incorporate AI features into her platform. But earlier this year she tried out AI tools herself and found the advice lacked nuance: &#8220;The kinds of conversations [my human coach and I] had felt impossible to replace in the AI format.&#8221;</p>



<p>AI chatbots, after all, are only as powerful as the quantity and quality of the data they have been fed, and how well the tools are built. To provide a personalized approach, AI coaching companies must successfully coax users to divulge specific, personal information, says Harvard’s Fuller. “You end up having this chicken-or-the-egg problem of not having access to a lot of data until you’ve got the quality that you can only get by having a lot of data,” he says.</p>



<p>Then, there’s the question of sensitive information. Most AI coaching companies offer their services directly through employers, which could make users leery of asking what they really want to know. How many employees who want advice on leaving a job or dealing with a toxic boss would feel comfortable entering those questions into a chatbot offered by their employer?</p>



<p>AI coaching providers respond that confidentiality agreements prevent the tools from sharing personal details with employers, and any reports generated for employers show only aggregate and anonymized results. (Some, such as BetterUp, also say users can opt out of having their data train language learning models, while others, such as Valence,&nbsp;<a href="https://support.valence.co/en/articles/9100961-valence-s-ai-coach-nadia-introduction-and-faqs#h_06ffdb4c89" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">say</a>&nbsp;it does not use employee conversations with its chatbot to train its models.)</p>



<p>Meanwhile, “workers are generally aware that a company-provided tool is tailored to enhance the company’s goals, which don’t always align with theirs,” says Hatim Rahman, management professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, who studies AI’s impact on employment.</p>



<p>Despite potential privacy fears and the fact that AI coaching models still have a lot to learn, tech-savvy workers are increasingly embracing them. “There is no judgment built directly into the tool,” says Michael Woodward, director of New York University’s Coaching Innovation Lab. “It’s purely mathematical.”</p>



<p>In addition to Gen Z workers, another unexpected demographic has become an unlikely power user of AI coaching: Middle-aged men. Multiverse reports it is seeing the most growth among people aged 40 and up; as of June, 46% of eligible employees older than 40 used Atlas, its AI-powered coaching service, compared to only 31% of users 24 and under.</p>



<p>Men in their 40s are one of the largest groups using BetterUp’s AI coaching feature, too. “These are [groups] where coaching may still be stigmatized,” says Moritz Sudhof, vice-president of AI at BetterUp. But if given the chance to share their career dilemmas with a chatbot, they’re actually “ready to open up and bare their weaknesses and problems.”</p>


Author: Forbes

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