Business Daily Headspace CEO on the use of AI in tackling burnout
Apr 7, 2026
Tom Pickett, CEO of Headspace and former US Navy F-18 pilot, leads the company from a mindfulness app to full mental-health services. He talks about the Navy partnership and tackling stigma around care. He explains mergers like Ginger, employer and insurer distribution, and the role of conversational AI tools like Ebb in widening access and supporting therapy.
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Navy Pilot Roots Shaped Headspace Mission
- Tom Pickett drew on his experience as an F-18 pilot and Top Gun graduate to explain early military lack of mental health resources.
- He described being a young leader managing stressful missions and few supports, which shaped his view on accessible mental health.
Meditation App Became Full Mental Health Platform
- Headspace evolved from a meditation app into an end-to-end mental health platform after merging with Ginger in 2021.
- The merger combined Andy Puddicombe's mindfulness content with Ginger's coaching, therapy and psychiatry to serve employers and health plans.
Employers Buy Mental Health To Reduce Burnout
- Employers now purchase Headspace as part of employee benefits to address workforce mental health at scale.
- Clients include Starbucks, Adobe, LinkedIn and Bank of America, showing enterprise demand for resilience and reduced burnout.