GLP-1s, AI, and the New Health Economy (ft. Rajiv Leventhal, health analyst)

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Healthcare is colliding with technology faster than most people realize.

In this episode of FUTUREPROOF., I sit down with analyst Rajiv Leventhal, who covers the intersection of healthcare, pharma, and tech, to unpack three forces reshaping the system at once: AI, GLP-1 weight loss drugs, and the mental health impact of digital life.

We start with AI as a health tool. Nearly a quarter of ChatGPT’s global weekly users now use it for health-related prompts. That’s not a niche behavior. It’s a mainstream one. The question isn’t whether people will turn to AI for medical guidance. They already are.

The real tension is trust and liability. General-purpose AI tools aren’t bound by HIPAA in the same way healthcare providers are. Yet they’re increasingly acting as digital concierges — answering late-night pediatric questions, explaining lab results, and helping people prepare for appointments in a system where access is strained.

And that system is strained. Even in major cities, patients can wait months — sometimes a year — to see specialists. When access gaps widen, alternative tools step in. AI isn’t replacing doctors. It’s filling holes.

We then turn to GLP-1 drugs and the weight-loss explosion. What began as diabetes treatment became a cultural and commercial wave driven by social media, FDA approvals, and aggressive advertising. But beneath the surface is a regulatory gray market of compounded versions, patent battles, and telehealth platforms monetizing demand.

Finally, we tackle social media’s impact on mental health. The evidence linking heavy use — especially among teens — to anxiety and depression is growing, even if causation remains complex. Is this a regulation problem? A parental problem? A public health issue? Or another example of technology moving faster than governance?

This episode isn’t about hype.

It’s about what happens when broken systems create openings — and tech companies move into the space.

Because when trust erodes and access declines, people don’t wait.

They improvise.