Nonrival

April 15, 2026

Human experts + AI summaries - on public policy, economics, and technology.

One in Four Americans Are Using AI to Supplement Their Healthcare, and 14 Million Skipped Doctor Visits Based on AI Advice

gallup

• 25% of Americans now use AI tools like ChatGPT for health information, mostly to research symptoms and medications before or after seeing doctors
• About 14 million Americans skipped healthcare visits in the past month based on AI-generated health advice, raising concerns about appropriate substitution for professional care
• Trust in AI health information remains mixed, with only 4% strongly trusting its accuracy, yet many are making healthcare decisions based on it anyway

Global Trade Imbalances Are Back, and They're About to Get Worse Under Trump

voxeu

• Trade imbalances between major economies have returned to pre-financial crisis levels, with the US running large deficits while Germany and China maintain big surpluses
• These imbalances create tensions over exchange rates, trade policies, and economic sovereignty, particularly as Trump threatens new tariffs
• Fixing the problem requires coordinated action: deficit countries like the US need to save more while surplus countries like Germany need to boost domestic demand

How Middle East Conflict Could Trigger Global Stagflation Through Energy and Trade Disruptions

lse_business_review

• The escalating Middle East conflict has pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel and threatens to reduce global trade growth from 2% to 1.5% in 2026, as disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz affect one-fifth of global oil supply.
• Beyond energy, the conflict is disrupting critical supply chains for fertilizers, helium, and other key inputs, while aviation cancellations and tourism losses could reach tens of billions of dollars.
• The result is a supply-driven stagflationary shock that combines slower growth with higher inflation, limiting policymakers' ability to respond with conventional monetary or fiscal tools.

In the News

A Category 4 typhoon just hammered U.S. territory as climate change fuels unprecedented storm intensity

yale_climate

• Typhoon Sinlaku struck the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands with 145 mph winds, the latest in a dramatic surge of intense storms hitting U.S. territories since 2017
• The U.S. has been hit by as many Category 4 and 5 storms in the past seven years as it experienced in the previous 57 years combined
• Climate change is making the strongest tropical cyclones even more powerful, while an emerging El Niño pattern increases the risk of early-season super typhoons

Analysis

Why the U.S. Must Prepare for Economic Warfare Before China Ever Attacks Taiwan

hoover

• China cannot invade Taiwan without months of visible military buildup, giving the U.S. time to prepare but also creating a dangerous 'gray zone' period where economic pressure could undermine deterrence
• Financial markets would begin pricing in conflict risk as soon as mobilization became visible, potentially triggering capital flight, supply chain disruptions, and a $3 trillion hit to trade flows through the Taiwan Strait
• The U.S. faces a critical choice: without credible plans to manage domestic economic fallout during a crisis, China's economic deterrent could prove more effective than America's military threats

Also Worth a Look

• American Research Universities Must Stop Chasing Prestige and Start Planning for Survival (issues)
• How the Iran Conflict Is Driving Up Food Prices in Britain Through Energy and Shipping Disruptions (lse_business_review)
• America's Iran War Is Undermining Its Strategy to Counter China in Asia (hoover)
• Europe's Green Energy Push in North Africa Risks Becoming a New Form of Extraction (carnegie)
• New Technologies Spread Through Global Company Networks, Not Just Geography (voxeu)
• Ukraine and Turkey Are Reshaping Middle East Power Dynamics as Russia's Influence Fades (atlantic_council)
• How AI Is Making Job Applications Easier But Landing a Job Harder for New Graduates (wharton)