Before AI makes us faster, let's make sure it doesn't make us dumber

As you well know, I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about AI. While everyone seems focused on what AI can do for us, I've become increasingly interested in what it might be doing to us. More specifically, what happens as a result of handing over so much of our thinking to AI that our own mental muscles start to resemble that Peloton® we bought during COVID and now use primarily as a clothing rack?

In this week's article, I explore a concern being raised by an unlikely duo: Pope Leo XIV and digital health pioneer Dr. Eric Topol. Both are sounding the alarm on a similar issue: the risk of becoming overly dependent on AI for judgment, analysis, and decision-making.

For pharmacy executives, managed care leaders, and healthcare innovators, this isn't just an academic debate. It's a practical question about how we deploy these powerful tools without accidentally training our teams to stop thinking for themselves.

I share a relatable analogy for keeping AI in the role of pedal-assist e-bike rather than full-throttle scooter, along with a few ideas for preserving the human discernment that no algorithm can replicate (at least not yet).

Read the article here.

Cheers,
Harry

The AI Balance Sheet

⬆ The upside of AI ⬆

For all my concerns about AI turning our brains into passengers, I have to admit this one made me sit up and pay attention. OpenAI claims one of its models helped solve a mathematical problem that has stumped researchers since 1946, and the result was strong enough that mathematicians reviewed it, validated it, and are taking it seriously.

That's the paradox we're all trying to navigate. AI may occasionally do things that seem astonishing, but its greatest value still comes when smart humans are in the loop. This story is a reminder that while we should be careful not to outsource our judgment, we shouldn't underestimate what these tools might help us accomplish when they're used thoughtfully. Read the full article here.

⬇ The downside of AI ⬇

CX Today reports that a series of reports show a dramatic imbalance in spending on AI. It appears as though we are spending far more on implementation than on governance and oversight. Read the full article here.

CX Today calculates that we are only spending $1 on governance and risk assessment for every $735 spent on capability expansion. Couple that with a recent World Economic Forum report citing the rising threat of AI-powered cyber threats and how we may be putting the proverbial cart before the AI horse. Read the full article here.

Industry Conferences

• 2026 NACDS Total Store Expo—August 15 - 17, 2026, Boston, MA

• FIP World Congress - Montreal 2026—August 30 - September 2, 2026, Montreal, Canada

• Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West—September 1 - 2, 2026, San Diego, CA

• PBMI Annual National Conference—September 10 - 11, 2026, Orlando, FL

• PCMA Annual Meeting—September 14 - 16, 2026

• NASP Annual Conference—September 22 - 25, 2026, National Harbor, MD

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