Tech News Weekly 419: Utah Trusts AI to Renew Prescriptions

Date: January 8, 2026
Hosts: Micah Sargent, Jacob (Jake) Ward
Guests: Stephen Robles (CES live), Ruth Reader (POLITICO)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the biggest stories and tech trends of CES 2026, with a focus on the debut of LEGO's "smart bricks," reflections on the evolution of CES, and insightful interviews direct from the expo floor. The show also explores the growing role of AI in healthcare, centering on Utah's regulatory sandbox experiment allowing AI to renew prescriptions— a national first. Special guests Stephen Robles and Ruth Reader unpack in-depth experiences from CES and the nuances, risks, and opportunities of AI-driven healthcare.

Main Segments & Key Insights

1. CES Trends & Reflections (00:26–33:27)

The Grind (00:26–07:34)

• Micah and Jake reminisce about past CES experiences: CES is described as an overwhelming, physically challenging, and FOMO-inducing event.
  • "The joke among anybody who goes there is that the thing that falls apart first on your body is your calves, because you walk and walk and walk..." (Jake, 04:23)
  • "All my experiences as far as that has gone have been okay. But, but it's a slog." (Micah, 05:27)
• The event's origins as a boozy, post-holiday Vegas trip for TV execs sets the chaotic tone.

LEGO’s Big CES Reveal: Smart Bricks (07:35–21:14)

• LEGO introduces its most significant innovation in 50 years: Smart Play, featuring sensor-laden “smart bricks.”
  • "It's a 2x4 Lego brick. It's got LED lights, accelerometers, light sensors, a miniature speaker... It communicates wirelessly with smart minifigures and smart tags." (Micah, 07:45)
• The new bricks are designed to enhance imaginative, screen-free play, and interact with figures and tags for lights, sounds, and behaviors.
• Reflecting on LEGO’s durability:
  • "They, somehow managed to just... keep going... even though it's so easy to replicate this product... speaks to just how deep in our psyche those things have been." (Jake, 12:19)
• Discussion of adult LEGO culture, collector habits, and LEGO’s premium pricing despite patent expiration.
• Hands-on impressions: The Verge’s Sean Hollister notes that Smart Bricks offer more long-term playability and “imaginative play.”

The Changing Face of CES—From 3D TVs to AI Everything (22:02–33:28)

• Jake observes the shifting “trend of the year” at CES:
  • From 3D TVs and 4K to “Internet of Things” and now, AI in every device.
  • "Now, right, it's that again with AI. And... the most cynical people sort of say is that... can't I just have a cool coffee maker? Does it have to have AI in it?" (Jake, 24:01)
• AI and “humanoid robots” are everywhere; Nvidia’s autonomy push and Hyundai’s robot partnerships are highlighted.
• Discussion about the accessibility possibilities and risks of AI-powered robots (esp. for caregiving).
  • “If I come home and this robot has death gripped my dog around the neck thinking it's a sock... that's horrifying.” (Micah, 28:10)
• Progress in robotics, from expensive actuators to the beginnings of “domestic” robots, and reflections on social and economic implications (job losses, caretaker robots).

2. Live from CES: Stephen Robles Interview (36:06–48:46)

Major CES Takeaways (37:14–39:12)

• LEGO’s smart bricks named “show stealers”—not just a concept but a real product launching March 1.
• “Smart home is a huge deal,” says Stephen; highlights the Aqara U400 lock using Apple Ultra Wideband for seamless unlocking.

Smart Home & Robots

• Robots are “everywhere,” but most are still not practical for the home. Boston Dynamics’ factory robots are “legitimate,” but consumer robots like LG’s can’t even reliably fold a towel yet (39:12–40:18).
  • "LG literally has a booth and they're trying to demo it folding a towel, and many times it fails... It can't open the dryer." (Stephen, 39:12)

Accessories and TVs

• MagSafe/charging accessories mostly see “iterative” improvements; “the most useful stuff is just iterative changes.” (Stephen, 41:47)
• Smart TVs move toward blending in as décor—frame- and wallpaper-style TVs now common.
• Amazon demoed an AI feature on Fire TV: “Show me the scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf says ‘you shall not pass’—and it jumps right to that scene.” (Stephen, 43:48–46:15)
  • Stephen hopes Apple will implement similar LLM-driven features in their devices soon.

Augmented Reality, AI, and YouTube

• Tried new AR glasses—can display teleprompter text, live translation, and more.
• YouTube will introduced dynamic ad insertion, letting creators add/change sponsorship ads retroactively across their video catalogs (46:56–48:23).
  • This marks a huge monetization opportunity for creators.

3. In-Depth: Utah’s AI Prescription Program (POLITICO’s Ruth Reader) (50:38–67:51)

What’s Happening in Utah? (51:09–52:24)

• Utah launches a first-of-its-kind pilot: AI, not a human, can renew prescriptions for chronic illnesses (e.g. diabetes).
  • "You go to the Doctronic website... you can sort of renew your meds really easily... This is a first because... clinicians prescribe drugs. Traditionally." (Ruth, 51:33)

How Does It Work For Patients? (52:51–53:04)

• The process mimics existing online portals: identity is confirmed (via CLEAR), then the renewal proceeds automatically.

Safety and Oversight (53:33–55:36)

• Doctronic says its AI matches clinician decisions at a 99% rate.
• Initial 250 renewals are reviewed by a human doctor; later, samples are “spot-checked.”
• Utah’s “regulatory sandbox” allows the experiment by relaxing clinician-only rules in exchange for state oversight.
  • "Utah is very involved and this is sort of almost like a co launch between the two..." (Ruth, 54:56)

Regulatory Landscape (55:37–61:12)

• Utah has an “AI sandbox” and other states are interested (Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, Delaware).
• Doctors and regulators worry about:
  • Dosing errors, overprescription, taking advantage of vulnerable patients.
  • "Even that simple thing, you know, there's potential for things to go awry. Dose matters..." (Ruth, 56:54)
• Federal regulation (FDA) applies to “diagnosis and treatment” software; as yet, the FDA does not see this as their purview for renewals, but states control the practice of medicine.
  • "When we reached out to the FDA they were like, this isn't really... within our purview." (Ruth, 59:26)

Business Model and Expansion (61:41–65:32)

• Cost: $4 per AI renewal + regular medication cost.
• Doctronic’s main revenue comes from charging $39 for doctor visits; AI is a “freemium” feature often intended to send patients to an MD.
• Plans to scale up, maybe move beyond renewals to new prescriptions.
• As AI handles rote tasks, other companies (e.g., OpenAI) are poised to enter healthcare.

The Road Ahead (65:32–67:44)

• Ruth predicts 2026 will see lots of AI “explorations” in patient care, not just from Doctronic.
• “I think this is really the year that we really start to explore... where exactly does AI fit into patient care?” (Ruth, 66:40)
• Renewals are a “safer” entry point for AI; full prescribing remains a more complex, potentially controversial future leap.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "The joke among anybody who goes there is that the thing that falls apart first on your body is your calves, because you walk and walk and walk..."
  — Jake Ward, (04:23)

• "If I come home and this robot has death gripped my dog around the neck thinking it’s a sock... that’s horrifying."
  — Micah Sargent, (28:10)

• "It's a 2x4 Lego brick. It's got LED lights, accelerometers, light sensors, a miniature speaker... It communicates wirelessly with smart minifigures and smart tags."
  — Micah Sargent, (07:45)

• "LG literally has a booth and they're trying to demo it folding a towel, and many times it fails... It can't open the dryer."
  — Stephen Robles, (39:12)

• "Show me the scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf says ‘you shall not pass’—and the Fire TV will literally open the movie and jump to that place..."
  — Stephen Robles, (43:48)

• "Doctronic says, you know, that it has a, its machines make or like matches clinician decisions at 99% rate... They're doing a phased rollout... the first 250 prescription renewals are going to be reviewed by a doctor..."
  — Ruth Reader, (53:33)

• "Utah has an AI sandbox... other states that have explored this are Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, Delaware, and there are more states that are interested..."
  — Ruth Reader, (55:55)

• "Even that simple thing... there's potential for things to go awry. Dose matters..."
  — Ruth Reader, (56:54)

• "I think this is really the year that we really start to explore... where exactly does AI fit into patient care?"
  — Ruth Reader, (66:40)

Summary Table of Key Segments

| Segment | Time Range | Highlights | |------------------------------------------|--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | CES Reflections & LEGO Smart Bricks | 00:26–21:15 | CES as a marathon event, LEGO unveils techy innovation, nostalgia, and brand power discussed | | The Shifting Themes of CES | 22:02–33:28 | From 3D TVs to AI in every product; labor, accessibility, & safety implications of home/industrial robots | | Live from CES with Stephen Robles | 36:06–48:46 | LEGO’s real innovation, smart home momentum, the iterative nature of accessories, breakthrough TV/AI features | | AI Prescription Renewals in Utah | 50:38–67:51 | How Utah is letting AI do prescription renewals, concerns, regulatory sandbox, patient experience, future predictions |

Closing Thoughts

• CES continues to be a circus of trends (sometimes vaporware), but some, like LEGO’s Smart Bricks and smart home devices, have real-world traction.
• AI is seeping deeper into consumer goods and (more importantly) healthcare, with Utah’s experiment setting the stage for more states to use regulatory sandboxes.
• The intersection of AI and patient care is fraught with regulatory uncertainty, safety concerns, and big tech ambitions, but practical opportunities—especially in reducing healthcare friction—are real.
• This episode captures a moment where innovation, skepticism, and regulation are colliding head-on in US tech culture.

For More Information

• Follow Jake Ward: TheRipCurrent.com, @byJacobWard
• Follow Stephen Robles: beard.fm
• Ruth Reader: politico.com

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