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Gates and OpenAI Team Up for AI Health Push in African Countries

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The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and OpenAI have launched a $50 million partnership to help African countries deploy artificial intelligence to strengthen health systems amid sharp cuts to international aid. The initiative, called Horizon1000, will work with national leaders to identify priority use cases, beginning with Rwanda.

Announcing the plan, Bill Gates said AI could be a “gamechanger” for countries facing severe shortages of health workers and infrastructure. Speaking in Davos, he said innovation is needed to reverse setbacks following aid reductions that coincided with the first rise in preventable child deaths this century. The Gates Foundation estimates global development assistance for health fell by nearly 27% last year.

Horizon1000 aims to reach 1,000 primary health clinics and surrounding communities by 2028. The focus is expected to include maternal health and HIV care, using AI to provide guidance before clinic visits, bridge language gaps, reduce paperwork, and better connect patient records. Rwanda’s ICT minister Paula Ingabire said responsible AI use can ease burdens on healthcare workers while improving quality and access. Gates added that AI could cut visit times roughly in half while delivering better care.

New York City sues tech giants for allegedly fueling youth mental health crisis

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New York City has filed a sweeping federal lawsuit against Meta, Google, Snap, TikTok, and ByteDance, accusing them of addicting children to social media and worsening a mental health crisis among young users. The 327-page complaint, lodged in Manhattan federal court, seeks damages for gross negligence and public nuisance, alleging that platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok were deliberately engineered to exploit the psychology of youth for profit.

The lawsuit claims the companies’ products have contributed to rising rates of depression, sleep deprivation, and chronic absenteeism among minors. According to the city’s data, more than 77% of New York City high school students spend over three hours daily on screens, and 82% of girls report similar habits.

New York’s health commissioner declared social media a public health hazard earlier this year, citing growing taxpayer burdens to combat mental health challenges in schools. The city also linked compulsive platform use to dangerous behaviors such as “subway surfing,” which has caused at least 16 deaths since 2023.

The case joins over 2,000 similar lawsuits filed nationwide, now consolidated in federal court in Oakland, California. A spokesperson for Google rejected the allegations, saying YouTube is a streaming platform rather than a social network. Other defendants have not yet commented.

The city argues that the companies must be held accountable for the harm caused by their algorithms, which it says have created a costly and deadly youth mental health epidemic.

Philips Faces French Criminal Probe Over Sleep Apnea Device Recall

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Paris prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Philips (PHG.AS) over its 2021 recall of sleep apnea machines, examining potential charges of aggravated fraud and failure to report safety risks that could lead to death.

The recall affected 15 million devices worldwide, including 350,000 in France, after it was discovered that polyurethane foam inside the machines could degrade, releasing particles or gases linked to headaches, respiratory issues, and even cancer risks.

The Paris Public Health division confirmed receiving 104 individual complaints tied to the devices. The probe was formally launched on June 12 after a preliminary inquiry by France’s OCLAESP (Central Office for the Fight against Environmental and Public Health Damage).

Philips stressed that this is not a new investigation, but part of ongoing proceedings initiated in 2023 concerning the lead-up to the recall. The company said the case does not concern products currently sold in France and pledged to cooperate with judicial authorities.

Under French law, aggravated fraud endangering human health carries penalties of up to seven years in prison and €750,000 in fines for individuals, and up to €3.75 million for corporations.

The case adds to Philips’ global legal woes. In 2023, the company agreed to a $1.1 billion settlement in the U.S. related to the same recall. Shares fell nearly 5% in early trading Monday before trimming losses to -1% by 1400 GMT following confirmation of the French probe.