Upcoming events, media moves + news, Labor Day recs
Insights
Mental Health
August 28, 2025
Today: Some quick media moves, news and several exciting upcoming events to ponder as you ride out the last wave of summer. And because it can’t be all work and no play, revisit Global Gateway Advisors’ Summer Edit for inspiration on what to read, watch or listen to this long weekend.
ICYMI: The last edition of COMPASS introduced OK Today, a global, youth-driven collective working to change how the world sees and talks about mental health through dialogue, education, community and culture. Learn more and get involved here.
Events: What’s coming up in September
Technology & Innovation
- Fortune Brainstorm Tech (Park City, UT, Sept. 8-10): Join the top leaders in tech — including clients and event speakers Brad Anderson, President Products, User Experience Engineering and Security, Qualtrics and Anthony Moisant, CIO and CSO of Indeed – to discuss the role of technology in society and topics from AI and cybersecurity to fintech, crypto and defense tech. The evening prior to the event, Zig Serafin, CEO, Qualtrics, will co-host a Fortune CEOi private dinner with Diane Brady, Executive Editorial Director, Fortune. More here – Will you be on site? Let us know so we can meet up!
- WSJ Technology Council Summit (New York City, Sept. 15-16): Industry leaders including Carolina Dybeck Happe, COO of Microsoft; Anthony Moisant, CIO and CSO of Indeed; and Severin Hacker, cofounder and CEO of Duolingo, will convene to explore how AI’s rapid rise is reshaping companies, industries and jobs through interviews, discussions and networking. More here
- Fast Company Innovation Festival (New York City, Sept. 15-18): Join innovators, entrepreneurs, and creatives including Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge; Brian Niccol, chairman and CEO of Starbucks; and Ego Nwodim, actress, comedian, and SNL cast member, for four days of talks, workshops, and experiences exploring the future of business, technology, design and culture. More here
- Axios AI+ Summit (Washington, D.C., Sept. 17): Examine the forces driving the global race to dominate AI, the business landscape it is reshaping, and the policy challenges emerging as breakthroughs outpace regulation and leaders race to balance innovation with oversight. More here
Executive Leadership & Finance
- Gartner CFO + Finance Executive Conference (London, Sept. 10-11): Finance leaders will tackle risk, efficiency and growth in uncertain times, with keynotes from polar explorer and climate tech investor Ben Saunders and futurologist Magnus Lindkvist. More here
- Forbes CMO Summit (Aspen, Colorado, Sept. 16-18): An exclusive gathering for top marketing leaders, the Forbes CMO Summit fosters candid, Chatham House Rule discussions on growth and brand leadership, with speakers including Zena Arnold, CMO, Sephora U.S.; John Gerzema, CEO, The Harris Poll; Zach Kitschke, CMO, Canva; and Marian Lee, CMO, Netflix. More here
Ideas, Media & Policy
- The Atlantic Festival (New York City, Sept. 18-20): Discussions with leading thinkers and cultural icons — including Scott Galloway, Jeffrey Goldberg and Keri Russell — along with exclusive book readings, film screenings and performances. More here
Health & Biotech
- Fierce Pharma Week (Philadelphia, Sept. 8-11): Top pharma leaders — including attendees from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Merck and Novartis — will meet for a week of strategy and innovation in Philadelphia. More here
- LSX World Congress USA (Boston, Sept. 16-17): Join leaders from biotech, medtech and healthtech to showcase innovation, forge partnerships and shape the future of healthcare technology — with attendees from companies including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Merck, Philips and Stryker. More here
- Modern Healthcare Leadership Summit (Washington, D.C., Sept. 25): C-suite executives and key decision-makers will gather to tackle challenges from AI integration to value-based care, sharing practical insights to improve financial and operational performance, with speakers including Peter Arduini, CEO, GE HealthCare; David Rhew, MD, global chief medical officer, Microsoft; and Micky Tripathi, chief AI implementation officer, Mayo Clinic. More here
Bookmark Global Gateway Advisors’ event tracker, updated weekly.
Media news + moves
- The anchor exodus: The trend of news anchors leaving mainstream media continues, with Don Lemon, Joy Reid, Chuck Todd and Jim Acosta among those finding they can operate more freely — and often earn more — in the independent realm of Substacks, YouTube and podcasts, further fragmenting the traditional media landscape. Some, however, see it as the pendulum swinging back: ‘It feels to me like we are going back to valuing traditional beat reporters,’ said Alison Pepper, a former CBS News talent executive and CAA agent. Keep reading
- Truth isn’t totally dead: Jessica Yellin, independent journalist and former CNN White House Correspondent, argues that as more Americans turn to social and video platforms for news amid rising AI-driven misinformation, “evidence-based creators” have become essential truth-tellers — but they need stronger frameworks, resources and ties to legacy media to endure. Keep reading
- A month of changing logos: While Cracker Barrel grabs headlines, MSNBC is also rebranding — dropping the peacock and adopting My Source News Opinion World, or simply MS NOW. Keep reading
The argument for the left: Former Atlantic staff writer Jerusalem Demsas has launched The Argument, a new publication (on Substack, naturally) aimed at bolstering the ideas and arguments of modern liberalism and convincing readers of their importance and value. It has already raised roughly $4 million at a $20 million valuation and attracted an impressive slew of contributors including Matt Yglesias, Rachael Bedard and Derek Thompson. Read Demsas’ welcome letter here - Hiring: The Wall Street Journal is seeking a Talent Coach for a new development program intended to equip journalists with advanced skills in content creation and audience engagement. Learn more
The latest in AI:
- A cautionary tale: AI can fool anyone — even the editors of a tech-centric outlet like WIRED, who had to retract a seemingly perfect but ultimately AI-fabricated pitch. Keep reading
- A new standard for compensation: Perplexity, the startup building an artificial intelligence search engine to rival Google — and recently in the spotlight after offering to buy Chrome — is giving publishers the chance to earn revenue from the articles their content generates. ‘AI is helping to create a better internet, but publishers still need to get paid,’ said CEO Aravind Srinivas. The company has earmarked $42.5 million to distribute through the program. Keep reading
The latest in Inclusion:
- Global employers caught in a DEI crossfire: In the U.S., the Trump administration has rolled back diversity policies with executive orders declaring many initiatives “illegal DEI,” while Europe, the U.K., Japan and Australia are moving in the opposite direction with mandates on pay transparency, board quotas and equity reporting. The result is a fragmented global landscape where a one-size-fits-all strategy is nearly impossible, pushing employers to tailor policies by region — and to communicate those strategies with careful, intentional messaging both internally and externally. Keep reading
- LGBTQ+ inclusion drives long-term growth: A new analysis by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation found that companies with long-standing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies delivered stronger financial results over time — including higher revenue growth, net income and market stability. Keep reading
- Scientists drop diversity language: To avoid scrutiny from the Trump administration, scientists are modifying grant applications by removing terms like “diverse” and “underrepresented.” Longtime researchers say this level of language policing — which even affects scientific contexts such as “diverse airborne toxicants” — is unprecedented. Still, there’s no real alternative to funding from the National Institutes of Health, which provided nearly $37 billion in the last fiscal year. Keep reading
- Drop in Women Leaders Across U.S. Corporations: Against the backdrop of Trump-era executive orders dismantling DEI programs, the number of women in leadership positions in the U.S. has fallen. Keep reading
Track key changes in diversity, equity and inclusion — updated in real time — here.
Media moves:
- TechCrunch hired Russell Brandom as artificial intelligence editor.
- Alexis Sobel Fitts was named a senior assignment editor overseeing technology and media coverage at The Washington Post.
- Bloomberg News hired Judy Lagrou as a reporter, while senior reporter Lindsay Dodgson has left the news organization.
- Katie Roof will join The Information as Deputy Bureau Chief of the venture capital section after being “poached” from Bloomberg, while Sri Muppidi will expand to become a beat reporter on OpenAI and Anthropic.
- Charles Forelle is being positioned to be the next editor in chief of Barron’s, per Oliver Darcy of Status.
- The Wall Street Journal has hired Lydia Wheeler as a legal affairs reporter, while both Marie Beaudette and Denny Jacob are departing the news organization.
- Fierce Healthcare reporter Noah Tong left the news organization for a new opportunity.
- Axios health care policy reporter Victoria Knight left the news organization.
Featured Insights
OK Today debuts at the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly
Insights
Mental Health
August 14, 2025
Young adults are struggling.
Globally, one in seven youth live with a mental health condition, and many face stigma, isolation and a lack of support. Rates of anxiety, depression and stress are rising, often leaving youth unsure where to turn.
That’s why we’re taking action.
We’re proud to announce the launch of OK Today, a global, youth-driven collective on a mission to transform how the world sees and talks about mental health. It debuted at the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly this past weekend. More on that, and how your organization can get involved, below.
Plus: Is corporate activism making a comeback? The numbers say yes.
ICYMI: People are no longer “Googling it,” they’re turning to AI chatbots and overviews for answers. But where do these tools get the information they’re sharing? We dive into AI’s media diet in our recent newsletter. Read it here.
Breaking down stigma one conversation at a time
There’s no single cause of the youth mental health crisis. A mix of factors — smartphone use, social media, political polarization, the lingering effects of COVID isolation and remote learning, climate change, rising living costs and global instability — have all contributed.
Go deeper: However, the real crisis isn’t just how youth feel; it’s what they’re afraid to express. Four in 10 Gen Z individuals say they feel judged or misunderstood when discussing mental health at school or work. That silence blocks real progress.
OK Today is a peer-powered platform that is working to change how the world sees and talks about mental health. We believe everyone deserves space to show up as their authentic self, whether we’re OK or not OK, and know that is OK. We are breaking down stigma through:
- Dialogue: encouraging everyday conversations around mental health.
- Education: equipping youth changemakers with tools to break down stigma through community building and advocacy.
- Community: investing in youth-led ideas to improve mental health at the community level.
- Culture: creating a culture where mental health conversations are normalized.
How it works: OK Today is built on the belief that young people, ages 18-25, should be leading the mental health conversation. We’re guided by a Youth Advisory Board of young people from across the globe. Meet them here!
2025 AFS Youth Assembly + OK Today
For the first time in the Youth Assembly’s history, mental health was featured as a core program track — a powerful signal that it’s not a side issue, but central to how young people experience the world, navigate crises and shape their future.
That focus was reflected in the conversations, participation and data we shared throughout the event, where OK Today championed a weekend of activations, workshops and community-building moments.
By the numbers: Research shows that 67% of young people will tell a friend they’re struggling before telling anyone else, yet 70% feel unequipped to help a friend dealing with mental health challenges.
Taking action: In an OK Today-sponsored session moderated by Active Minds, a peer-to-peer education advisor to OK Today, participants learned how to support peers in need using the A.S.K. (Acknowledge, Support, Keep-In-Touch) framework. They practiced real-life scenarios, shared personal experiences and walked away with tangible skills to use in their own communities.
Leading dialogue: A panel discussion titled “Beyond the Surface: The Global Mental Health Crisis” explored how global crises, from armed conflict to pandemics to climate change, are impacting youth mental health. Experts and youth advocates discussed solutions ranging from peer-led support and journaling to gender-sensitive policies and community-driven action. The panel highlighted the role of storytelling, early intervention and empowering young people to drive meaningful change.
“The solutions to mental health challenges arise from love, genuine care and a profound sense of empathy,” said Eduardo Vasconcelos Goyanna Filho, panelist and director of youth engagement at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Join us in our goal of reaching 1 million young people in the next three years.
- Become a partner. We’re looking for nonprofit and funding partners to help scale the impact of OK Today. Join us to help build and grow OK Today programming, drive campaigns at key moments and be a part of our next global, youth-driven event. Get in touch at OKToday@gga.nyc.
- Subscribe to our youth mental health newsletter for regular updates on what we’re doing, and for broader trends in youth mental health.
- Connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Is corporate activism back?
Last week, Bentley University-Gallup released a report which found that 51% of U.S. adults believe companies should take a public stance on current issues; a Pew Research poll released the same week found similar results. We looked into Gallup’s findings:
By the numbers: While there’s nothing decisive about 51%, it marks a 13-point increase from 38% in 2024.
- Sixty percent of 18- to 29-year-olds want to hear from businesses, with that number decreasing in each older age group.
- Seventy-one percent of Democrats support businesses taking public stances, compared to 33% of Republicans.
What issues matter the most? When given 12 topics companies could address, more than 50% of respondents supported companies speaking out on the following, respectively: free speech, climate change, mental health, diversity, equity and inclusion and healthcare. Just 33% supported companies taking a stance on international conflicts, 26% on abortion, and 18% on religion.
Yes, but: While a slight majority of consumers want companies to speak out on current events, only 40% of employees want their employers to discuss these issues with them.
The bottom line: We help organizations develop custom rubrics to determine whether and how they should engage internally or externally on social issues and current events. Interested? Reach out to info@gga.nyc.
Media news + moves
What we’re reading and watching:
- The buzz about Beehiiv: Substack is ubiquitous, but many writers are choosing Beehiiv for its customization options and pricing. “I chose Beehiiv over Substack for my new AI and book-focused newsletter for several reasons — product, economics, and more. One of the biggest? I didn’t want to be just another same-looking Substack,” said Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern. Meanwhile, The Information is asking whether Beehiiv could be the next billion-dollar newsletter startup. More on that here
- An unexpected win for Reddit: Reddit’s defining feature is human conversation — exactly the kind of content AI seeks. Thanks to licensing deals with OpenAI and Google, Reddit is a top-cited source for queries from ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google Gemini, appearing in 5.5% of Google’s AI Overview responses. “Human conversation is not being replaced by AI, instead, it’s becoming more important,” Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said in a recent earnings call. Continue reading
- Behold the Gray Lady: While many media companies struggle, the New York Times is thriving, with its stock hitting an all-time high earlier this month and Q2 revenue up 27.8% year over year. It has stayed competitive by producing more video content and signing an AI-related licensing deal with Amazon. Read more
- Semafor considers its next move. It’s been just over two years since Semafor’s last infusion of outside funding, and it may be gearing up for another round, Oliver Darcy reported in his Status newsletter. Learn more
- Business Insider founder launches podcast: Henry Blodget launches “Solutions” next Monday, a new podcast series produced with Vox that highlights experts tackling major challenges in science, business and society. Bookmark to listen here
Media moves:
- Business Insider hired Zak Jason as executive editor for its Discourse section.
- Yahoo Finance hired JR Whalen as a news and personal finance producer, while Jordan Weissmann announced he is leaving the organization.
- Bloomberg News hired Charles Gorrivan as a reporter, while editor Kevin Miller left the organization after nearly 30 years.
- MarketWatch hired Christine Ji to cover Big Tech.
- Fast Company promoted Christopher Zara to news director.
- The New York Times hired Erik Wemple to cover media news for the business section and Sandhya Somashekhar as its Washington bureau domestic policy editor.
- The Information hired Katie Roof as deputy bureau chief of venture capital coverage.
- Bloomberg Industry Group hired Keith L. Alexander as editor-at-large.
Featured Insights
Are you GEO ready?
Insights
Mental Health
June 6, 2025
In today’s newsletter:
- Generative engine optimization (GEO) takes center stage
- San Francisco-based communications leaders tackle AI’s impact on our work
- Events on our radar
- Media moves + news, including a list of those impacted by Business Insider layoffs
ICYMI: The previous edition of COMPASS explored the future of healthcare through the lens of a MAHA-driven agenda, AI, and the growing focus on mental wellbeing. Read it here.
How to win in GEO
Google’s AI Overview feature, combined with other Large Language Models (LLMs) — now used by more than half (52%) of adults — has the potential to fundamentally change how we search the web, with many users finding what they need without accessing traditional results.
Last month, Google announced the rollout of AI Mode that features enhanced reasoning, support for multiple formats, the capacity to dive deeper through follow-up questions and even a shopping “partner” that auto purchases that item you’ve been eyeing when it goes on sale.
Why it matters: Remember when SEO was a game changer? By 2026, search engine optimization is expected to drop by 25% as more people turn to AI chatbots and Google’s AI-generated responses, according to Gartner.
Brands must adapt quickly to stay visible and relevant, which means shifting to GEO— generative engine optimization — or, as it’s also called, “conversational search.”
- Go deeper: A recent analysis from Ahrefs of 75,000 brands found that brand web mentions show the strongest correlation with AI Overview brand visibility beating out other factors like backlinks, branded ad traffic and cost. Brands with the highest number of web mentions receive up to 10 times more mentions in AI Overviews than those in the next closest quartile. Explore all the findings here.
What’s next: A possible silver lining for the struggling media industry? One of the best ways for brands to have content reach GenAI users is by talking to journalists. Top-tier, reputable outlets — from mainstream publications to industry trades — have much stronger influence on GenAI query results about a company than social media campaigns or Reddit threads.
- To date, publications ranging from The Atlantic to The Associated Press to The Washington Post have entered into agreements with OpenAI for their content to be sourced.
- Last week, The New York Times, which previously sued OpenAI for copyright infringement, signed its first AI licensing deal with Amazon, allowing its editorial content to appear across Amazon platforms, including Alexa. Experts say this represents a “new wave” of deals to come.
What content wins? LLMs favor content that is concise, conversational and question-driven — as well as supported by subheads, bullet points, charts, graphics and video — according to Aaron Kwittken, founder and CEO of PRophet, in a recent Page Society briefing for industry leaders.
Next week’s events
- Fortune COO Summit (Scottsdale, AZ, June 9-10) Fortune’s second-annual COO Summit brings together global chief operating officers, top speakers and editors to explore today’s biggest business challenges — from AI integration and financial pressure to talent strategy and leadership transitions. More here.
- WSJ CEO Council Summit – London (London, June 10-11) This year’s theme explores the new era of globalization and how companies are navigating a transformed global landscape. With rising nationalism, geopolitical instability and protectionist policies reshaping trade and collaboration, business leaders will examine what globalization looks like now — and where it’s headed. More here.
- Semafor The World of Work (Washington, D.C., June 12) New tech, shifting expectations, and post-pandemic disruptions are reshaping the workplace. In partnership with Gallup, Semafor will share key insights from the 2025 State of the Global Workplace report and explore how leaders can navigate what’s next — boosting productivity, resilience and wellbeing. More here (and let us know if you’ll also be there!).
Bookmark Global Gateway Advisors’ event tracker, updated weekly.
Media news + moves
What we’re reading and watching:
A tough week for media:
- Business Insider lays off 21% of staff: “We’re at the start of a major shift in how people find and consume information, which is driving ongoing volatility in traffic and distribution for all publishers,” said CEO Barbara Peng in a message to staff. See a complete list of those affected and read about the ensuing employee backlash.
- TechCrunch bids Europe adieu: The continent’s startup ecosystem is scrambling after the outlet that gave many its first coverage shut down. This follows Yahoo’s March sale of TechCrunch to private equity firm Regent; many longtime writers and editors have since departed. Read more.
- Inc. and Fast Company, too: A recent round of cuts by parent company Mansueto Ventures impacted 7% of its workforce, including Fast Company senior editor Aimee Rawlins and tech reporter Jessica Bursztynsky. See the full list here.
- And several magazines shutter completely: In Touch, Life & Style, Closer, and First for Women will cease operations by the end of the month, with a spokesperson from parent company McClatchy citing their inability to develop a profitable business model. Read the full story.
Platforms catching steam:
- Fun fact: More than 50 people are making over $1 million per year on Substack, according to CEO Chris Verge.
- YouTube takeover: The platform already dominates when it comes to podcasts, outpacing traditional audio apps like Spotify and Apple. Now it’s coming for television: According to the company, people in the U.S. spend more time watching YouTube on a TV rather than a phone or computer. “As much as Hollywood has worried about labor strife, artificial intelligence and the demise of moviegoing, the rise of YouTube is a much more immediate and real threat,” Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw writes. Read more.
- Is Bluesky catching on? Kind of. Many left-leaning influencers have made it home, and users have tripled since the November elections. Still, most Bluesky users still post on X, which remains far more popular. Read more.
- Grammarly to expand AI offerings: The company raised $1 billion from General Catalyst with the goal of becoming an all-in-one productivity platform. Read the full story.
C-suite offerings:
- Harvard Business Review Executive: In line with industry trends, HBR is targeting the C-suite with a new toolkit to help senior leaders make high-impact business decisions, including a weekly newsletter from editor Adi Ignatius. Subscribe to HBR Executive here.
Media moves:
- Jason Dean was hired by The Washington Post to lead its AI and Tech vertical.
- The Information hired Valida Pau to cover tech deals and finance in New York
- Business Insider hired Sarah Needleman as a leadership and workplace correspondent.
- The Verge hired CNBC’s Hayden Field as senior AI reporter.
- Jeff Horwitz joined Reuters as its tech investigations reporter.
- Brenda Stolyar joined Wirecutter where she will be covering smartphones, tablets and wearables.
- Kristina Peterson was hired by Bloomberg as a big food reporter.
- Consumer goods reporter Saabira Chaudhuri has left The Wall Street Journal.
- Wall Street Journal reporter Jacob Gershman left the news organization for another opportunity.
- New York Post reporter Josh Kosman was suspended after accusing the editor-in-chief of killing a story for political reasons.
- Despite rumors speculating otherwise, Gayle King is staying on at CBS, at least through next summer.
- Lester Holt officially ended his 10-year stint as anchor of “Nightly News” handing over the reins to Tom Llamas.
Featured Insights
AI, wellness and mental health are shaping healthcare’s future
Insights
Mental Health
May 27, 2025
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to recognize the growing conversation around mental health, especially in the workplace. While awareness is increasing, there’s still significant progress to be made in reducing stigma and improving support.
Meanwhile, the healthcare landscape is at a crossroads. Rapid advancements in AI, combined with a “Make America Healthy Again”-driven political agenda, are unfolding against a backdrop of rising misinformation and declining trust in institutions worldwide.
In this week’s newsletter, we explore what these shifts mean for strategic communicators navigating this complex and evolving environment.
How strategic communication supports workplace mental health
By 2030, Gen Z will comprise 30% of the workforce — a generation that approaches mental health conversations differently than their predecessors. As workplaces adapt, strategic communication becomes essential for creating truly supportive environments.
To explore this shift, Global Gateway Advisors convened a salon, Thriving Workplaces: Fostering Mental Health Equity, that brought together leading voices in mental health to better understand the barriers and learn from each other about solutions we can implement to foster a healthier work environment for all.
Key takeaways:
- Measure what matters: Use employee sentiment data to inform targeted mental health communications that reflect real needs.
- Normalize the conversation: Encourage leaders to share personal stories to normalize mental health conversations and build employee trust.
- Empower the front line: Equip managers with clear messaging tools to confidently support team members’ mental well-being.
- Communicate with cultural intelligence: Craft culturally aware and inclusive messages that resonate across diverse audiences.
Yes, but: Each year, depression and anxiety lead to the loss of an estimated 12 billion workdays globally, costing the world economy around US$1 trillion in lost productivity. And it’s not just a financial issue: new World Health Organization data show that anxiety and depression linked to COVID-19 cut global healthy life expectancy by six weeks.
Why it matters: Gen Z has different workplace expectations, with 61% saying they would leave a job for better mental health benefits — making it a key factor in retention.
- Support must be visible, fast, and flexible: To meet Gen Z expectations, organizations should offer accessible resources, train managers, and model mental health behaviors from the top.
- Just 56% of Gen Z workers feel comfortable talking to their managers about mental health challenges.
The big picture: Gen Z, the first fully digital generation, reports higher rates of anxiety and depression than older generations — likely due to constant online exposure and the social isolation of COVID-19 lockdowns during key formative years.
By the numbers: Roughly 46% of Gen Z workers say they feel stressed, while 35% experience depression, well above the 20% average of the general population. Worldwide, about one in seven adolescents aged 10-19 years lives with a mental health condition, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among those aged 15-29 years.
- Go deeper: Despite increased awareness, social factors like stigma stop many from seeking the help they need.
What’s next: Global Gateway Advisors is taking the global youth mental health crisis head on. In the coming weeks, in partnership with leading mental health organizations, we’ll unveil a coalition aimed at breaking the stigma and driving lasting change for young adults. Stay tuned.
AI’s transformative role reshapes healthcare
Artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare, revolutionizing how we diagnose, treat, and engage patients. It could also help fast track much-needed access to new drugs, with the FDA announcing last week that it would begin using AI to speed up its drug review process. Some experts go as far as to compare the rise of large language models (LLMs) in healthcare to decoding the human genome, in terms of its potential impact.
Why it matters: AI is accelerating a shift to data-driven, patient-centric care. Communicators are key to making complex tech understandable and turning it into trusted, human-centered stories.
What AI is doing now
- Smarter diagnostics: AI tools can detect diseases like cancer with up to 94% accuracy — often earlier than traditional methods.
- Proactive prevention: Algorithms spot patterns in health records, imaging and genetics to predict risks before symptoms appear.
- Personalized care: AI tailors treatments to the individual, optimizing drug therapies and minimizing side effects.
Patient engagement: On-demand support with chatbots and virtual assistants offers 24/7 help, and is changing the doctor-patient relationship.
Communicators: Eyes wide open
- Bias + bad info: Many AI models are trained on biased data, which can perpetuate societal inequalities and stereotypes, leading to disparities in patient care and outcomes. Plus, AI can hallucinate, generating false information with confidence.
- Low public trust: A general decline in trust in science and medicine, fueled in large part by a flood of misinformation accelerated by COVID, makes clear, accurate communication essential to rebuild trust and ensure AI advances are understood and responsibly adopted.
The big picture: What this means for health communicators
- Lead with patient impact: Craft messages that emphasize AI’s role in empowering patients — through faster diagnoses, tailored treatments, and accessible care — while addressing concerns about dehumanization. Use relatable stories to build trust.
- Navigate ethical concerns: Expect increased scrutiny of AI’s data use and potential bias. Communicators should be transparent about how systems are built, tested, and monitored.
Tailor messaging to diverse audiences: From clinicians to patients to policymakers, different stakeholders need different levels of explanation. Effective communicators will adapt their strategies to meet each group where they are — balancing technical accuracy with accessibility.
A potential new direction for public health
MAHA — Make America Healthy Again — is the driving force reshaping the healthcare conversation, propelling Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Casey Means’ nomination as Surgeon General.
Why it matters: While fringe views on vaccines and fluoride often dominate headlines, a growing number across the political spectrum support a broader MAHA-aligned shift — from treating illness to promoting holistic health. In the U.S., 60% of adults have at least one chronic condition, such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure, and 42% have more than one. Nearly 40% of children are also affected.
- Chronic diseases are the primary causes of disability in the U.S. and major contributors to the country’s $3.8 trillion in annual health care spending.
- Obesity is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers.
- The conversation around weight loss is also shifting — with anti-obesity drugs like GLP-1s expected to become a $100 billion market by 2030 — toward a stronger focus on improved health outcomes with long-term metabolic solutions, holistic lifestyle choices, and personalized care plans, rather than just short-term weight targets.
What’s next: MAHA aims to drive policy reforms focusing on preventive care, nutrition, and environmental health. Efforts include tighter regulation of processed foods and pesticides, support for regenerative agriculture, expanded wellness programs and less corporate influence in healthcare. A MAHA commission report released last week also targets the “overmedicalization” of children, as well as vaccines.
Yes, but: Experts have raised concerns about the MAHA agenda — especially vaccine skepticism, which comes amid an uptick in measles cases, and the downsizing of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The big picture: What this means for health communicators
The MAHA movement is reshaping health discourse around prevention, lifestyle, and personalized care. Communicators are key to turning this shift into clear, credible messages that build trust.
- Lead with outcomes, not ideals: Focus messages on measurable health gains — less disease, more energy, better sleep — and support claims with clear evidence.
- Meet skepticism with transparency and trust-building: Address concerns directly, use plain language to clarify what’s known and unknown, and amplify diverse, trusted voices. Prioritize authenticity over polish.
- Bridge holistic and science: Highlight wellness strategies like nutrition, movement, and healthy sleep as complements to — not substitutes for — evidence-based care from qualified professionals.
- Counter misinformation strategically and with precision: Don’t just correct myths—anticipate them. Monitor emerging narratives and respond quickly with tailored, shareable facts that resonate with each audience’s values, tone, and preferred platforms.
Recent Health Events Reveal Comms Insights
Three recent industry gatherings reveal where healthcare communication is heading — from AI’s practical impact to wellness as core strategy.
Financial Times US Pharma & Biotech Summit (May 15, New York City)
AI is delivering measurable returns while policy shifts create new messaging challenges around drug pricing and FDA reforms.
For communicators: Prepare narratives that move beyond AI buzzwords to showcase concrete R&D and clinical trial outcomes. Weight loss treatments are evolving from quick fixes to personalized, long-term wellness stories — frame messaging around sustainable health management rather than rapid results.
Axios Future of Health Summit (May 14, Washington, D.C.)
AI’s “superhuman” diagnostic capabilities are real, but transparency demands are intensifying across health policy discussions.
For communicators: Build trust through clear explanations of AI decision-making processes. Personalized medicine faces adoption hurdles — focus messaging on patient outcomes over technological complexity to bridge the gap between innovation and practical implementation.
The New York Times Well Festival (May 7, New York City)
Social connections outweigh traditional health metrics for longevity, signaling wellness has become a foundational healthcare strategy.
For communicators: Integrate relationship and community elements into health messaging. Wellness isn’t a trend anymore — it’s core healthcare positioning. Emphasize human connection as a measurable health outcome, not just feel-good content.
Upcoming health-related events
- The Prognosis for America’s Pain Management (New York City, May 29) Axios will bring together thought leaders and medical experts to discuss challenges in today’s treatment landscape and the current state of pain.
- BIO 2025 (Boston, June 16-19) BIO brings together global biotech leaders to share breakthroughs, shape policy, build partnerships, and communicate the industry’s impact across healthcare, science, sustainability, and innovation.
- Aspen Ideas: Health (Aspen, June 22-25) Join industry leaders to discuss themes like decoding the brain, biomedical breakthroughs, pop culture’s influence on healthcare and the future of food.
- Fierce Biotech Week (Boston, Oct. 7-9) Top biotech and pharma executives share insights on emerging trends and market forces to help companies better allocate R&D budgets, streamline drug development and clinical operations, and navigate fundraising and partnership opportunities.
- FT Live: Global Pharma and Biotech Summit 2025 (London, Nov. 11-12) Industry leaders, C-suite executives, investors, and experts gather to explore the latest trends and innovations in life sciences and discuss what’s new in areas such as drug discovery, clinical trials, market access and patient engagement.
- Forbes Healthcare Summit (New York City, December, exact dates TBA) The annual summit convenes leaders from across the $4 billion healthcare industry to explore the advancements that are reshaping care, including new gene therapies, the rise in GLP-1 use and the AI revolution.
To keep up with what’s ahead, visit Global Gateway Advisors’ event tracker, updated weekly.
Media news + moves
What we’re reading and watching:
- Google launches AI chatbot: A.I. Mode, which CEO Sundar Pichai calls “a total reimagining of search,” turns Google Search into a conversational tool that handles complex, multi-part questions with detailed, context-aware answers. It also offers more personalized options, like a tool that automatically buys clothing when it goes on sale.
- Time Longevity: This new vertical from Time, launching later this year, will spotlight innovations in science, health, business, tech, and policy focused on aging and lifespan extension. It aligns with Time’s broader coverage aimed at business and policy leaders.
- Head of CBS News forced out: “It’s become clear the company and I do not agree on the path forward,” Wendy McMahon said in a memo to staff, after executives requested she step down. This follows the resignation of “60 Minutes” producer Bill Owens, amid reports that parent company Paramount is in talks to settle a lawsuit with President Trump.
- Print is back: At least for major corporations, which view it as a way to strengthen their reputation and connect with hard-to-reach audiences. Last week Microsoft launched its first-ever print magazine, Signal, featuring an article by Bill Gates and interviews with CEOs and experts from Microsoft’s various divisions.
- Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business: General Motors CEO Mary Barra tops the annual list, released earlier this week, followed by Accenture’s Julie Sweet and Citigroup’s Jane Fraser.
- New podcast data: YouTube last week released rankings of its top podcasts, with some of the results diverging greatly from those of Spotify and Apple. For example, “Kill Tony,” YouTube’s second-highest ranking podcast, comes in at 54 on Spotify, while the popular “Call Her Daddy” (21 on Spotify) didn’t rank on YouTube’s top 100. Spotify recently introduced a feature to display podcast play counts — but after creator pushback, it reversed course. Play counts will now appear only after a show surpasses 50,000 plays.
- And new podcasts! Bloomberg Businessweek debuted “Everybody’s Business,” hosted by Max Chafkin, senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek, and Stacey Vanek Smith, public radio reporter and former “Planet Money” co-host, which promises to “pull back the curtain on conversations happening in offices, Zoom rooms, and group chats at power centers around the world.” At the same time, The Financial Times introduced “Swamp Notes,” a podcast on U.S. politics.
- A media company for execs: At The Moment Media (ATM) launched earlier this week to provide industry leaders with video coverage of their people, products, and events, intended to complement traditional journalism. “This is another toolkit in a marketer’s tool chest,” said founder and CEO Robert Wheeler. “I’m not a journalist. Brands rely on journalists to tell their stories as well as posting their own content, but they also need a reliable third-party to help spread their message.”
- MSNBC to launch Washington bureau: As the outlet formally separates from NBC, execs tapped Sudeep Reddy, most recently at Politico, to lead the new bureau, with plans to hire more than 100 reporters to fill gaps that NBC News reporters previously filled.
- Charter and Cox merge: Two of the largest cable companies in the U.S. have agreed to merge amid increasing competition for viewers.
- The WSJ adds a new executive membership program: The Chief People Officer Council will bring together chief people officers and other senior HR leaders to collaborate, share insights, and address strategic challenges related to human resources, talent management and organizational culture.
Media moves:
- Lynn Cook was named senior breaking news editor for business, finance and economics at The Wall Street Journal.
- Business Insider appointed Julia Hood as its newsroom AI lead, a new role dedicated to enhancing the newsroom’s AI capabilities to assist journalists.
- Bloomberg hired Andrea Chang as a global business editor.
- Charles Rollet, previously at TechCrunch, joined Business Insider as its San Francisco tech correspondent.
- Politico hired Amanda Chu to cover the healthcare industry and its relationship with Washington.
- Samantha Subin joined CNBC.com as a tech reporter.
- Bloomberg hired Max Rivera to cover wealth and real estate.
- Morning Brew hired Beck Salgado as a reporter for its new Revenue Brew newsletter.
- Kimberly S. Johnson joined The New York Times Business section as consumer and industries editor.
- Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon is leaving the organization.
Featured Insights
The state of mental health equity at work
Insights
Mental Health
May 30, 2024
The escalating mental health crisis impacts all of us in different ways.
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Mental health is the chief health concern among U.S. adults, surpassing cancer, stress, obesity, and drug abuse.
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But the U.S. is not alone. It is part of a global trend. Across 31 countries recently polled, an average of 44% said that mental health was their country’s top health concern.
Why it matters: Work amplifies broader societal issues that negatively affect mental health, especially among diverse communities, including discrimination and inequality. Yet, stigma and shame remain around discussing or disclosing mental health in work settings. Prioritizing mental health equity for employees is a critical forward-looking talent strategy.
Go deeper: During Mental Health Month, Global Gateway Advisors and CommPro convened a group of business, government and advocacy leaders to exchange ideas about how to address mental health equity in the workplace. The event featured special guest and workplace mental health advocate, Natasha Bowman, JD, SPHR.
Here are our key takeaways.
1. Mental health is essential to thriving workplaces.
By the numbers:
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One in five employees globally manage a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year.
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One in three U.S. workers said their jobs had a somewhat negative or extremely negative impact on their mental health.
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Poor mental health at work can contribute to a decline in productivity, toxic workplace culture, higher rates of attrition and economic loss.
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Mental health issues cost the US economy $47.6 billion annually in lost productivity (up to 12 unplanned absences a year).
What they’re saying:
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“If your employees are mentally happy, they will stay longer, they will work better. We must think about mental health as an investment in our organizations.” – Jackson Budinger, Senior Director of Communications, Trevor Project
2. There is no one size fits all solution.
Every employee has unique experiences and identities that shape their perspective and affect how they approach mental health.
Employees experience significantly better mental health and engagement outcomes when their unique social identities are acknowledged and supported.
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34% of employees aged 18-29 and 28% of employees 30-49 reported that they considered quitting work due to the impact on mental health. Only 21% of employees aged 50-64 said the same.
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Neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ and Hispanic employees want more preventative support when it comes to their mental health.
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Only one in three Black adults in the United States who need mental health care actually receive it.
What they’re saying:
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“We are all on different mental health journeys. Creative and flexible accommodations empower employees to manage their mental health and wellbeing – and show up effectively at work.” – Natasha Bowman
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“Carefully look at the composition of your team. For generation Alpha, it is easier to talk about mental health than Boomers. If you have a team with more Hispanic men, it will be tougher to talk about mental health, because it is not a part of their cultural ethos. It’s important to have a bespoke approach because people have different generational and cultural challenges.” – Event participant
3. Lack of communication and stigma stand in the way.
By the numbers:
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74% of full-time employees in the US say it is appropriate to discuss mental health concerns at work, yet only 58% say they feel comfortable.
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79% say that their work experience would be better if their leaders communicated they care about mental wellbeing.
What they’re saying:
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“As I started to share my experience navigating bipolar disorder, one of the common themes I heard from people is that they thought I was brave and courageous to share my story. Many said they wanted to, but were afraid of what their employer would say. The stigma surrounding mental health at work prevents people from talking about it at all.” – Natasha Bowman
4. Strategic communications can improve mental health and foster thriving workplaces.
Measure mental health. In the same way employers measure employee engagement, they can also measure employees’ mental health at work. Data can reveal how mental health impacts employees differently depending on where they’re based, their socio-cultural background and other demographics.
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Using data and insights, employers can define what resources are needed – and how communications can help point employees to the right support.
Engage leadership to break down stigma through storytelling. When a senior leader opens up about their experiences with mental health, it can make employees with shared experiences feel seen and heard.
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As Carmella Glover, Vice President, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Page Society, said: “It takes one brave person and their story to move people and create a safe space. There is power in storytelling, so people know they are not alone.”
Provide clear, actionable messaging around mental health. “We need a ‘stop, drop, and roll’ for the steps to take when someone in your life needs you. This is one of the important communications challenges in mental health equity,” said Erika Soto Lamb, Vice President, Social Impact Strategy at Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios at Paramount Global. “That’s why we partnered with Active Minds to launch a.s.k, or acknowledge, support, keep-in-touch.”
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Through creative messaging and employee engagement strategies, we can make resources more accessible to employees and provide actionable guidance for what to do when support is needed.
Ensure that conversations around mental health are inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures, abilities and perspectives.
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“A person may need mental health Tuesday instead of Friday,” said Natasha Bowman. “Off-the-shelf policies do not work because they’re inflexible and not inclusive.”
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The same goes for communications. As we shape communications to advance mental health equity at work, it is important to bring diverse stakeholders to the table, amplify stories that demonstrate the wide array of experiences a person can have with their mental health, and showcase how resources and solutions can be tailored to support employees’ unique needs.
Want to continue the conversation? Connect with Global Gateway Advisors on LinkedIn or get in touch via our website.