By DEE-ANN DURBIN and MANUEL VALDES, Associated Press SEATAC, Washington (AP) — Background music is no longer an afterthought at many airports, which are hiring local musicians and carefully curating playlists to help lighten travelers’ moods . London’s Heathrow Airport built a stage to showcase emerging British performers for the first time this summer. The program was so successful the airport hopes to bring it back in 2025. Nashville International Airport has five stages that host more than 800 performances per year, from country musicians to jazz combos. In the Dominican Republic , Punta Cana International Airport greets passengers with live merengue music. Tiffany Idiart and her two nieces were delighted to hear musicians during a recent layover at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport . “I like it. There’s a lot of people here and they can all hear it,” said Grace Idiart, 9. “If their flight got delayed or something like that, they could have had a hard day. And so the music could have made them feel better.” Airports are also carefully curating their recorded playlists. Detroit Metro Airport plays Motown hits in a tunnel connecting its terminals. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas has a playlist of local artists compiled by an area radio station. Singapore’s Changi Airport commissioned a special piano accompaniment for its giant digital waterfall. Music isn’t a new phenomenon in airport terminals. Brian Eno’s “Music for Airports,” an album released in 1978, helped define the ambient music genre. It’s minimalist and designed to calm. But Barry McPhillips, the head of international creative for Mood Media, which provides music for airports and other public spaces, said technology is enabling background music to be less generic and more tailored to specific places or times of day. Mood Media – formerly known as Muzak – develops playlists to appeal to business travelers or families depending on who’s in the airport at any given time. It might program calmer music in the security line but something more energizing in the duty-free store. “We see it as a soundscape,” McPhillips said. “We design for all of these moments.” There’s a science to Mood Music’s decisions on volume, tempo, even whether to play a song in a major key versus a minor one, he added. “How do we want to affect their mood at that moment?” McPhillips said. “It’s not just like, ‘Here’s a load of songs.’ It’s a load of songs for that 10-minute segment, and then we move to the next 10 minutes.” At the same time, many airports are going low-tech, hiring local musicians to serenade travelers and give them a sense of the place they’re passing through. Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports have more than 100 live performances each year. Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport began a live music program five years ago and now has two stages featuring local artists. Tami Kuiken, the manager of airport music in Seattle, said the Seattle-Tacoma airport launched its live music program about a decade ago after a city commissioner heard live music at the airport in Austin, Texas . “The idea was like, ’Man, why doesn’t Seattle have music? We’re a music city too,” Kuiken said. At first, the airport created a playlist featuring emerging artists along with famous ones like Pearl Jam . Then it decided to try live musicians for a 12-week trial. It was so successful that the airport now features live musicians daily and is building new performance spaces. “People’s anxiety levels are very high when they’re traveling,” Kuiken said. “The feedback that we started getting was that once they got through the checkpoint and they were greeted with music, all of a sudden their anxiety and stress levels dropped.” Related Articles The programs also benefit musicians, who get paid to perform and gain wider exposure. When Colorado Springs Airport announced a live music program in March, more than 150 musicians applied. It now hosts two two-hour performances each week. David James, a singer and guitarist who plays at Seattle’s airport about once a week, said waking up in time for a daytime gig took some adjustment. But he’s gained new fans from all over the world. “I get really sweet responses from people all the time, saying, ‘That was so soothing to be able to just sit and listen to music in between flights,’” James said. “So it feels like it’s especially therapeutic for people.” Country stars like Blake Shelton and Keith Urban have come through Nashville’s airport and interacted with local musicians, said Stacey Nickens, the airport’s vice president of corporate communications and marketing. Shelton even gave one his guitar. Otto Stuparitz, a musicologist and lecturer at the University of Amsterdam who has studied airport music, said airports should think carefully about their selections. Music that’s meant to be actively listened to – like live music or catchy pop songs – can be very distracting in an already chaotic environment, he said. He has noticed some airports – especially in Europe — turning off piped melodies altogether. But McPhillips said big spaces like airports can feel cold and unwelcoming without background music. “A well-crafted audio strategy is one that people aren’t particularly cognizant of,” he said. “They just know they’re having a good time and that it’s appropriate.” Durbin reported from Detroit.Republicans gain temporary control of Minnesota House after Democrat decides not to appeal ruling
Chinese cars grab Mexican market shareHow Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woesAmanda Serrano appeared on CBS Mornings today in New York to talk about her rematch against Katie Taylor and it turning out to be such a big platform for women’s boxing. Serrano tries to keep it gracious when asked about her thoughts on the official outcome, but says she still looks forward to making a trilogy fight with Taylor going forward. Serrano on knowing her rematch with Katie Taylor was the most-watched women’s sporting event in history “It’s truly an honor. You know, I’ve been in this game for so long. Being part of a great team, MVP, Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, to put me on this platform on Netflix. Who knew one day we’d be fighting on Netflix and to have that many people watching me, now people who never seen boxing or never knew women fight know women can fight.” On if she thought the close decision loss was fair “Listen, I didn’t know — there was a lot of headbutting going on and a lot of holding going on. But listen, I’m just happy that we were able to perform on this platform and millions of people saw what they saw and I believe I won the fight which means we have to go for the third fight. “I’m 100% interested (in a third fight), she said she is. The only way I feel like it will be fair is if we go under the men’s rules which is three minutes and 12 rounds, and she agreed to it so let’s see if she’ll take the fight.” On how her big ugly cut is healing “I want to apologize to everybody for that gruesome cut, it wasn’t my fault. But no, it’s great. The doctor did a great job on stitching it up. It’s still in pain, the swelling and everything else is going down but I feel great, I feel like I can go to the gym today — but I won’t.” On if she thinks more should have been done in the fight to prevent Taylor’s illicit tactics “Yeah because it was excessive from headbutting and excessive holding. We had warned the referee beforehand when we was in the locker room that that’s what she does. We fought her before and we knew that’s what she does. She likes to come in with her head. I’m not saying it was done intentionally but knowing the way Katie fights, that’s how she fights. “So we just warned the referee beforehand and he said don’t worry, he’ll handle it, and obviously he didn’t handle it as good as he was supposed to.”
By KAREEM CHEHAYEB BEIRUT (AP) — In 2006, after a bruising monthlong war between Israel and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militant group, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted for a resolution to end the conflict and pave the way for lasting security along the border. But while there was relative calm for nearly two decades, Resolution 1701’s terms were never fully enforced. Now, figuring out how to finally enforce it is key to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal approved by Israel on Tuesday. In late September, after nearly a year of low-level clashes , the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah spiraled into all-out war and an Israeli ground invasion . As Israeli jets pound deep inside Lebanon and Hezbollah fires rockets deeper into northern Israel, U.N. and diplomatic officials again turned to the 2006 resolution in a bid to end the conflict. Years of deeply divided politics and regionwide geopolitical hostilities have halted substantial progress on its implementation, yet the international community believes Resolution 1701 is still the brightest prospect for long-term stability between Israel and Lebanon. Almost two decades after the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, the United States led shuttle diplomacy efforts between Lebanon and Israel to agree on a ceasefire proposal that renewed commitment to the resolution, this time with an implementation plan to try to bring the document back to life. In 2000, Israel withdrew its forces from most of southern Lebanon along a U.N.-demarcated “Blue Line” that separated the two countries and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, which most of the world considers occupied Syrian territory. U.N. peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL , increased their presence along the line of withdrawal. Resolution 1701 was supposed to complete Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and ensure Hezbollah would move north of the Litani River, keeping the area exclusively under the Lebanese military and U.N. peacekeepers. Up to 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers would help to maintain calm, return displaced Lebanese and secure the area alongside the Lebanese military. The goal was long-term security, with land borders eventually demarcated to resolve territorial disputes. The resolution also reaffirmed previous ones that call for the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon — Hezbollah among them. “It was made for a certain situation and context,” Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese army general, told The Associated Press. “But as time goes on, the essence of the resolution begins to hollow.” For years, Lebanon and Israel blamed each other for countless violations along the tense frontier. Israel said Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and growing arsenal remained, and accused the group of using a local environmental organization to spy on troops. Lebanon complained about Israeli military jets and naval ships entering Lebanese territory even when there was no active conflict. “You had a role of the UNIFIL that slowly eroded like any other peacekeeping with time that has no clear mandate,” said Joseph Bahout, the director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut. “They don’t have permission to inspect the area without coordinating with the Lebanese army.” UNIFIL for years has urged Israel to withdraw from some territory north of the frontier, but to no avail. In the ongoing war, the peacekeeping mission has accused Israel, as well as Hezbollah , of obstructing and harming its forces and infrastructure. Hezbollah’s power, meanwhile, has grown, both in its arsenal and as a political influence in the Lebanese state. The Iran-backed group was essential in keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power when armed opposition groups tried to topple him, and it supports Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Yemen. It has an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles, including precision-guided missiles pointed at Israel, and has introduced drones into its arsenal . Hanna says Hezbollah “is something never seen before as a non-state actor” with political and military influence. Israel’s security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday. Efforts led by the U.S. and France for the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah underscored that they still view the resolution as key. For almost a year, Washington has promoted various versions of a deal that would gradually lead to its full implementation. International mediators hope that by boosting financial support for the Lebanese army — which was not a party in the Israel-Hezbollah war — Lebanon can deploy some 6,000 additional troops south of the Litani River to help enforce the resolution. Under the deal, an international monitoring committee headed by the United States would oversee implementation to ensure that Hezbollah and Israel’s withdrawals take place. It is not entirely clear how the committee would work or how potential violations would be reported and dealt with. The circumstances now are far more complicated than in 2006. Some are still skeptical of the resolution’s viability given that the political realities and balance of power both regionally and within Lebanon have dramatically changed since then. “You’re tying 1701 with a hundred things,” Bahout said. “A resolution is the reflection of a balance of power and political context.” Now with the ceasefire in place, the hope is that Israel and Lebanon can begin negotiations to demarcate their land border and settle disputes over several points along the Blue Line for long-term security after decades of conflict and tension.MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City’s players were booed by their own fans Tuesday after blowing a three-goal lead against Feyenoord in the Champions League to extend their winless run to six games. Jeers rang around the Etihad Stadium after the final whistle of a dramatic 3-3 draw. “They are disappointed. Of course we understand it,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “They are completely right to express what they feel.” After five-straight losses in all competitions, City looked to be cruising to victory after going three up inside 50 minutes. But Feyenoord mounted an improbable comeback and leveled the game in the 89th to leave the home crowd stunned. While the worst losing streak of Guardiola’s managerial career was brought to an end, his wait for a first win since Oct. 26 goes on. Erling Haaland had scored twice, with Ilkay Gundogan also on target to put City in control. But goals from Anis Hadj Moussa in the 75th, Santiago Gimenez in the 82nd and David Hancko in the 89th turned the game on its head. According to stats supplier Opta, it was the first time in Guardiola's managerial career that his team had failed to win a game after leading 3-0. It said it was the first time City had failed to win from that position since 1989. “We lost a lot of games lately, we are fragile and of course we need a victory," Guardiola said. “The game was good for the confidence, we were playing a good level, but the first time something happened we had problems.” A win would have moved City up to fifth in the Champions League standings , but the draw left it 15th with three games remaining in the first phase of the competition. The top eight teams advance to the round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a playoff. City’s players, including Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol and Haaland looked visibly frustrated as they left the field to cheers from the delirious traveling Dutch fans in the away section of the stadium. “If you are 3-0 up at home you can never give it away like this. It is what it is at the moment. The only thing we can do is fight back and stay strong,” City defender Nathan Ake said. City plays Premier League leader Liverpool on Sunday — defeat would leave it 11 points adrift of its title rival. “We will learn for the future. It has been and will be a tough season for us and we have to accept it," said Guardiola, who had a cut on his nose during the game. He said it had been caused when he scratched it with his fingernail. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) opened applications for up to $1.3 billion in funding to catalyze investments in transformative carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies. This funding—provided by OCED’s Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program and the Carbon Capture Large-Scale Pilot Projects Program—will help to catalyze the development and commercialization of carbon capture technologies with significant investments targeting the design, construction, and operation of large-scale point-source carbon capture projects. OCED aims to use this funding to enhance the confidence of commercial entities in adopting CCUS technologies, broaden the market for electricity generation and industrial emitters, and reduce costs to expand the feasibility of CCUS implementation across facilities. This funding aims to help create good-paying jobs, reduce pollution to deliver healthier communities, and ensure America’s global leadership in developing cost-effective emissions reducing technologies for the nation's electricity generation and industrial sectors. Commercial demonstration of advanced carbon capture technologies, integrated with reliable transportation and storage infrastructure, is necessary for the widespread deployment of carbon capture technologies. For this opportunity, OCED plans to fund up to 11 projects across three main topic areas:
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquil Barrett is rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs signed the two-time Super Bowl champion on Saturday, while also announcing safety Jordan Whitehead was activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers. Barrett spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 to 2023. He led the NFL with a franchise-record 19 1-2 sacks in his first year with the Bucs, then helped the team win its second Super Bowl title the following season. In all, Barrett started 70 games with Tampa Bay, amassing 45 sacks, 15 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. He was released last winter in a salary cap move, signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, then abruptly announced his retirement on social media before the start of training camp in July. Barrett, who also won a Super Bowl during a four-season stint with the Denver Broncos, decided to unretire last month. He signed with the Bucs after clearing waivers earlier in the week. Whitehead has missed the past four games with a pectoral injury. His return comes of the heels of the Bucs placing safety Christian Izien on IR with a pectoral injury. On Saturday, the Bucs also activated rookie wide receiver Kameron Johnson from IR and elevated punter Jack Browning to the active roster from the practice squad. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflUnlocking green hydrogen fuel supply chains Countries across the Asia-Pacific and Africa regions have great potential in the emerging hydrogen economy. However, as well as opportunities, there are challenges when it comes to scaling up the production and distribution of these greener fuels. Many countries in these regions are already developing national hydrogen strategies for domestic industries and export markets, increasing the potential for more energy-producing countries to prevail in the future. Africa is widely regarded as a potential global leader in the production of green hydrogen, not only for itself but also for other regions such as Asia-Pacific, which is poised to become a major demand centre for Africa’s green hydrogen potential. The ambitious net-zero goals committed to by the maritime sector could have a major role to play in stimulating investment in the green hydrogen supply chain between the two regions. To reap the rewards, the industry must find creative ways to tackle various obstacles. While the Asia-Pacific region is the world’s largest hydrogen consumer, less than 1% of its hydrogen is green. The key challenge is the high price of green hydrogen, which costs at least six times more than grey hydrogen, and the lack of mechanisms to bridge the cost gap of green hydrogen-derived fuels, such as e-ammonia, e-methane and e-methanol. Regardless of the growth opportunities within the maritime industry, financing hydrogen infrastructure is not going to be easy. Building from the ground up is an expensive feat. Due to limited demand and significant cost differences compared to conventional fossil fuels, few are willing to lead from the front. The importance of a regional approach to hydrogen fuel As demand for green energy grows and hydrogen markets continue to emerge, there is increased scope for willing nations to discuss untapped market opportunities for hydrogen-derived fuels for the shipping sector. This was the focus of the second earlier this year – a roundtable discussion hosted by the Lloyd’s Register maritime decarbonisation hub – shining a light on investments needed to support the development of hydrogen-based fuels to service shipping’s decarbonisation. The hub is a joint initiative between Lloyd’s Register and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, aiming to accelerate the safe and sustainable decarbonisation of the maritime industry. This second roundtable brought together ministries, fuel developers, the shipping industry and climate and development financiers operating across the Africa and Asia-Pacific region. Held during the three-day Global African Hydrogen Summit in Windhoek, Namibia, participants shared perspectives on the opportunities posed by clean fuels and highlighted key investment barriers and means to overcome hurdles through regional cooperation. While some countries in the region have been active in decarbonisation discussions, a more cohesive effort that brings demand and supply hubs together is required to build a compelling case for alternative fuel investment, which could see success within a regional context. Countries may also reap developmental benefits by building a robust regional fuel supply chain. With these economic measures, policymakers need to factor in risks and the wider human, social, and biodiversity impacts so that these uncharted market opportunities are not at the expense of a just and equitable transition. Working with key maritime, transport, and energy stakeholders in these nations could prove mutually beneficial to understanding the wider risks and opportunities – embarking on the large-scale infrastructure required for fuel production and distribution may also be repurposed to unlock and accelerate the roll-out of other energy sources across the territory, such as electricity. Maritime decarbonisation: hydrogen plays a pivotal role The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set a target for 5% of the international shipping fleet, striving for 10%, to run on scalable zero-emission fuels , which positions Green shipping corridors as a critical maritime decarbonisation mechanism. There are currently more than 40 green shipping corridors established globally, with several trading in the Asia-Pacific region, including The Silk Alliance green corridor cluster. These green shipping corridors are now at an inflexion point, where stakeholders are moving from the conception phase into implementation and execution. But of the critical issues facing maritime stakeholders is securing a sufficient supply of green hydrogen-derived fuels through infrastructure investments. For this reason, the Maritime Fuel Supply Dialogues aims to link up national hydrogen strategies in Asia-Pacific and Africa with new shipping demands for hydrogen-based fuels. This would help direct infrastructure and policymakers’ interest and planning towards maritime decarbonisation, thereby building stronger business cases to overcome the investor inertia challenge. The dialogues will build on these discussions with regional stakeholders through various action areas. This includes working on supply and demand linkages, presenting stronger justification for flexible fiscal policy measures in fuel-producing countries, and driving port and maritime hub locations to facilitate domestic cross-sector demand aggregation. The dialogues will be looking to hold its next roundtable to bring together stakeholders across Africa and Asia-Pacific regions to drive forward solutions around the discussion takeaways and explore other mechanisms to support regional developments. Demand for hydrogen and other green energies will only increase and as policy catches up, scaling will become the biggest challenge facing key stakeholders. This is why regional dialogues between large, established ports must continue to be promoted while bringing in experts from sectors beyond maritime: namely, energy and transport. “Unlocking green hydrogen fuel supply chains” was originally created and published by , a GlobalData owned brand. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Unlocking green hydrogen fuel supply chains, Hyundai to collaborate with Ulsan, Guangzhou governments on hydrogen tech Hyundai Motor, Korea’s top automaker, signed an initial agreement with the southeastern city of Ulsan and the Chinese city of Guangzhou on... Energy ventures: Hydrogen wildcatters are betting big on Kansas to strike it rich A new Gold Rush is taking shape on a quiet stretch of Kansas prairie. There, a clutch of startups backed by the likes of Bill Gates are... New endeavour aims to boost hydrogen marine fuel in Tanzania his collaboration aims to establish a sustainable maritime sector in Tanzania by focusing on green hydrogen production, bunkering infrastructure, and vessel...
Healthcare-focused AI startups are raising billions to help improve the US system. AI can help streamline clinical documentation, drug research, and medical billing. This article is part of "Trends in Healthcare," a series about the innovations and industry leaders shaping patient care. Get the inside scoop on today's big stories - delivered daily . Thanks for signing up! Look out for your first newsletter with today's big story in your inbox soon. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you agree to receive emails from Business Insider. In addition, you accept Insider's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The founder of Suki, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to automate healthcare documents, raised $70 million in funding from investors in a Series D round that was disclosed this past fall. He said it really didn't take that much persuading: With an epidemic of stressed- and burned-out physicians, there was an obvious need for their AI software, he added. "Most of the investor conversations over the last year and a half have been, 'Well, it looks like the market is here,'" said Punit Singh Soni, Suki's founder. "Are you going to be the winner or not?" Suki sells an AI-powered assistant that takes notes during a conversation between patients and clinicians. The notes can be reviewed by the doctor and submitted as an electronic health record. This saves time on administrative tasks and allows physicians more time to take care of patients, a resource that's becoming increasingly limited among healthcare professionals. Surveys have consistently found that doctors and other medical workers are burned out from working in an often overloaded, convoluted, and inefficient system. The US spent $4.8 trillion on healthcare in 2023, according to a January report from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. The US also spends more per person than nearly all other developed nations, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Despite this, health outcomes were poorer, with Americans facing a lower life expectancy, higher rates of treatable and preventable excess deaths, and less efficient healthcare systems. Cash-strapped hospitals and private practices have lagged behind the financial-services and telecommunications industries in applying newer technologies, but the healthcare industry is increasingly considering artificial intelligence as it contends with high labor costs and a lot of opportunities to automate routine tasks. The pandemic exacerbated these challenges with staffing shortages as overworked doctors and nurses quit the profession. To make healthcare more efficient, AI startups like Suki, Zephyr AI, and Tennr have raised millions with vast promises, including making repetitive tasks like billing and note-taking easier, improving the accuracy of clinical diagnosis, and identifying the right patient population for emerging treatments. But the challenges are vast. The healthcare industry's budget allocations for generative AI are trailing those of many other core industries , such as energy and materials, consumer goods, and retail. Clinical diagnosis will continue to require a human in the loop, so the process can't be fully automated. The healthcare industry is highly regulated, and quite often, venture capitalists will wait for clarity on laws from the federal government before aggressively pushing AI tech advancements forward. A $370 billion bet on boosting the healthcare sector's productivity The consulting firm McKinsey estimates that generative AI can boost productivity for the healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and medical-products industries by as much as $370 billion by accelerating drug research, making clinical documentation easier, speeding up medical billing, and helping doctors make diagnoses. Some big funding rounds announced in 2024 highlight the diverse use cases for AI in the healthcare sector. They include $150 million raised by the clinical-documentation AI startup Abridge in February, the drug-discovery AI startup Xaira Therapeutics bringing in $1 billion before its launch in April, Atropos Health's $33 million Series B in May to help doctors analyze real-world evidence with generative AI, and the medical-billing-automation provider Candid Health raising $29 million in September. Parth Desai, a partner at Flare Capital Partners, has steered investments into healthcare startups such as Photon Health and SmarterDx. He said that healthcare organizations had been dedicating more money to bolster their AI strategies, beginning in late 2022 and accelerating through 2024. That's boosting demand for the tools these startups are developing. There's also less pressure to immediately prove a return on investment, which budget-conscious health systems have closely monitored in the past when allocating dollars for technology. "The thing that we're really studying before making an investment decision is: Do budgets exist today to pay for this technology?" Desai told Business Insider. "Or are they going to exist in a large-enough fashion in the next five to 10 years to support this technology?" Candid Health and Akasa aim to cut costs and automate medical billing One area of particular promise has been medical billing, which could benefit from large language model automation. An LLM could, for example, analyze a large volume of claims in a client's system and accurately match them with insurers' unique billing codes, a process required for repayment to a physician for their services. Hospitals have traditionally relied on human medical coders to hunt down reimbursements from insurers. "The software used to do billing was built a long time ago and basically wasn't kept up to date," Nick Perry, a cofounder and the CEO of Candid Health, said. Malinka Walaliyadde, the CEO of Akasa — another medical-billing-focused AI startup — said the company builds customized LLMs for each healthcare institution it serves. Typically, the aim for these LLMs is to lower costs by lessening the reliance on human medical coders. This often reduces errors in billing and speeds up repayment cycles. "We looked at what are the biggest pain points for health systems," Walaliyadde told BI. He said that Akasa's focus is on developing LLM products for medical coding and simplifying prior authorization, a process that requires approval from a health-plan provider before a patient can receive a treatment. "Those are the ones where you could really move the needle," Walaliyadde said. AI for health screenings George Tomeski, the founder of Helfie AI, is in the middle of pitching investors to raise as much as $200 million in a new round of funding that he hopes to close by the first half of 2025. Tomeski said the funding would help Helfie scale as it exits beta testing for the company's app. The app, also called Helfie, uses a smartphone camera to do medical "checks" that screen for illnesses including COVID-19, tuberculosis, and certain skin conditions. "We're targeting all the health conditions that lead to avoidable mortality," Tomeski said, adding that the app focuses on respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. The intention is for these checks —which can cost as low as $0.20 a person per screen — to serve as a form of preventive care and as an incentive to go see a doctor in person. While some funding is going toward sales and marketing, talent acquisition, and ensuring adherence to regulations around privacy and healthcare data, a large chunk is still being allocated to product development as AI tech advances quickly. Dr. Brigham Hyde, a cofounder and the CEO of Atropos Health, said his latest funding announcement, in May, was timed to coincide with the geared-up launch of ChatRWD, an AI copilot that can answer doctors' questions and quickly churn out published studies based on healthcare data. Hyde said he's keen to bring in big partners this time, including the pharmaceutical giant Merck and the medical-supplies and equipment maker McKesson. But Hyde also had to show some restraint. He said that when Atropos Health moved forward with its Series B rounds, dozens of venture capitalists expressed interest in leading the round. The company was offered up to $100 million but took only one-third of that amount. "I don't always think that's a good idea," Hyde told BI. "As a founder, you want to raise the right amount of money for your business and for the stage you're at." It may be tempting to take more, as many healthcare AI startups — a vast majority still in the seed and early-stage funding rounds — are racing to outmaneuver rivals. Even if the technology is right, it has to get past regulatory approvals and persuade cautious hospitals and health systems to open up their wallets. "You can build as much product as you want, but you can never build a market," Soni of Suki said. "It shows up, or it doesn't show up."Less than a month after winning the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are spending big again to add one of baseball's best pitchers to their star-studded roster. Blake Snell and the Dodgers have agreed to a $182 million, five-year contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal is subject to a successful physical. The two-time Cy Young Award winner broke the news personally by posting a photo of himself on social media in a Dodgers uniform — No. 7. Snell would join two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop Los Angeles' rotation, giving the Dodgers the first mega deal of this offseason following Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year contract and Yamamoto's $325 million, 12-year deal last winter. Ohtani didn't pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery but is expected back on the mound in 2025. He won his third MVP award — first in the National League — following a huge season at the plate exclusively as a designated hitter. Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts as a rookie, then won twice in four October outings. Down to three healthy starting pitchers during the postseason, Los Angeles overcame a string of injuries to its projected rotation in winning the franchise's second World Series title in five years. San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sept. 17, 2024, in Baltimore. Credit: AP/Stephanie Scarbrough Right-handers Jack Flaherty and Walker Buehler then became free agents this fall, creating more voids on the staff. But the addition of Snell would fill a big one at the top with a legitimate ace. Snell's $36.4 million average salary would rank as the fifth-highest among active deals next year behind Ohtani ($70 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million) and Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37 million). Among expired contracts, it also was exceeded by pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander (both $43.33 million) under deals they agreed to with the New York Mets. ESPN first reported the details of Snell's contract. Earlier this month, Snell opted out of his deal with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after he was slowed by injuries during his lone year with the Giants. San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Sept. 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel The left-hander agreed in March to a $62 million, two-year contract that included a $17 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15, 2026, a $15 million salary for 2024 and a $30 million salary for 2025, of which $15 million would have been deferred and payable on July 1, 2027. Snell, who turns 32 next week, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts this year, throwing a no-hitter at Cincinnati on Aug. 2 for one of only 16 individual shutouts in the major leagues this season. He struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings. He was sidelined between April 19 and May 22 by a strained left adductor and between June 2 and July 9 by a strained left groin. Snell won Cy Young Awards in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego. He is 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants. Because he turned down a qualifying offer from San Diego last November, the Giants were not eligible to give Snell another one and won’t receive draft-pick compensation. Los Angeles expects All-Star right-hander Tyler Glasnow and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw back in the rotation next year. Other starting candidates if healthy include right-handers Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin. Ohtani is coming off right elbow surgery in September 2023 and left shoulder surgery on Nov. 5. Glasnow didn’t pitch after Aug. 11 because of right elbow tendinitis. Kershaw, who turns 37 in March, had foot and knee surgeries on Nov. 7. May is coming back from Tommy John surgery in July 2023 and for an operation this past July to repair a tear in his esophagus. Gonsolin spent 2024 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Yamamoto was sidelined by right triceps tightness between June 15 and Sept. 10, then returned and went 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in four postseason starts to cap the first season of his $325 million contract. ___ AP Baseball Writers Janie McCauley and Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.