We’re all relying on AI more and more, right. I know someone who relies on ChatGPT so much he’s lovingly nicknamed his AI buddy “Chappy”. Of course, people seem to be split on AI therapy, with some questioning its emotional depth and accuracy, while others see it as a cost effective option.

Some noted that chatbots can draw on vast bodies of psychological knowledge, sometimes exceeding what individual therapists have read, and can provide useful insights or summaries on demand. A few described using AI as a “sounding board”—valuing its objectivity, privacy and ability to clarify complex thoughts without judgement.

So while you might question if you should use AI as a therapist, one thing is clear: Your therapist should be asking you about your AI habits. It's part of a growing consensus among experts and the findings of a recent scientific paper published in JAMA Psychiatry.

As the authors explain, they opted to focus on why therapists should ask their patients about how they are using AI as opposed to other elements of patients’ use of AI. “While professional guidance focuses on how clinicians should use AI tools, conversations with patients about their AI use receive less attention,” they write.

“We’re not saying that AI use is good or bad,” Shaddy Saba, an assistant professor at New York University told NPR. However, learning about a person's use of AI for emotional support and advice could provide valuable insight into someone's life and mental health status, he says. Saba and his co-author's recommendations are “very aligned” with recommendations by the American Psychological Association in a health advisory released in November of last year, says the APA’s Vaile Wright. In any case, it’s promising to see more and more professionals exploring all the ways technology intersects with our lives today.

The United States and Iran have traded proposals for a suspension of Iranian nuclear activities, but remain far apart on the length of any agreement, according to Iranian and U.S. officials. During weekend negotiations in Pakistan, the United States asked Iran for a 20-year suspension of uranium enrichment. The Iranians, in a formal response sent on Monday, said they would agree to up to five years.

Meanwhile, the U.S. naval blockade took effect on Monday and oil prices surged again past $100 a barrel. With another fragile ceasefire set to expire in nine days, the United States and Iran remain locked in a standoff. Early this morning, the International Energy Agency sharply revised its forecasts for the global supply and demand for oil because of the war. The agency expects oil demand in the current quarter to shrink by 1.5 million barrels per day—which would be the deepest decline since the COVID pandemic.

Now, it’s not clear what channels remained open as both U.S. and Iranian leaders quickly returned to their respective maximalist corners. But President Trump expressed confidence that Iran’s bombed-out infrastructure and battered economy would still force its hand. Two U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that discussions were still underway about a new round of talks. They said that the venue, timing and composition of the delegations hadn’t been decided, but that talks could happen Thursday.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. isn’t going to like to hear this: Tests of intelligence and brain function showed the same results whether or not people drank fluoridated water growing up, a highly anticipated, long-term study found.

The new research, published Monday in the respected Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to measure community water fluoridation exposure during childhood in the U.S. and any potential impact on cognition up to age 80. The findings contradict claims made by RFK Jr. that fluoride is “industrial waste” associated with IQ loss.

Dr. Scott Tomar, head of the department of population oral health at the University of Illinois in Chicago, called the new study “quite significant” and told NBC News that the public “can be assured” that their tap water is safe. The optimal level of fluoride in drinking water to prevent cavities is 0.7 milligrams per liter, according to the CDC. That amounts to 3 drops in a 55-gallon barrel. However, two states (Utah and Florida) have enacted fluoride bans and several others, including Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma, have similar legislation pending.

See Peru through the eyes of the women who call it home on Intrepid’s brand-new Women’s Expedition.

With an expert local leader out front and a small group of like-minded women by your side, this trip connects you with the local communities you visit ,giving you a unique insight into Peru’s culture and traditions.

With an expert local leader out front and a small group of like-minded travellers by your side, this trip gives you a unique insight into Peru’s culture and traditions.

Part of Intrepid’s Women’s expedition range, this eight-day adventure has been thoughtfully designed to support local women in tourism while delivering immersive experiences specifically for women travellers.

You’ll traverse the lesser-known Chinchero to Urquillos trail in the Peruvian Andes alongside an all-female crew, spend time in an Andean village learning about daily life, take part in a traditional textile workshop led by local women and experience a spiritual cleansing ritual guided by a female shaman.

Find your adventure