Geekwire

OpenAI just opened its largest office outside San Francisco, in downtown Bellevue, Wash. GeekWire was there on day one to tour the space. Chatting inside the OpenAI game room, we share our observations about the Mad Men-meets-Pacific Northwest aesthetic, which features open floor plans and lots of common areas, and try to figure out what it all says about OpenAI's culture.  Plus, we talk with Vijaye Raji, the former Statsig CEO who is now OpenAI's CTO of applications, about Codex, infrastructure, hiring, and the evolution and growth of Silicon Valley tech giants in the region.  In our final segment, it's the return of the GeekWire trivia challenge, with a question focusing on one of the earliest tech giants to establish an outpost in the Seattle area.  Related Story: Inside OpenAI’s new Bellevue office: A swanky statement about AI’s impact on the Seattle region Upcoming Event: Agents of Transformation, March 24.  With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited

Anthropic acquired Seattle startup Vercept on Wednesday, raising familiar questions about the impact of early exits on the broader Seattle startup ecosystem, and the question of whether AI startups can compete long-term against the giants of the field. We dig into the deal, the public feud between two of the company's early investors on LinkedIn, and why one co-founder's prior departure to Meta may have been worth more than the entire acquisition. Plus, a new research paper envisions a 2028 "global intelligence crisis" driven by AI-fueled white collar job losses, and we're already seeing early signs in the news.  Then, the New York Times reported this week that Jeffrey Epstein built deeper connections inside Microsoft than any other major tech company. We break down the key revelations, including what we found when we searched the Epstein files for "GeekWire." WSJ: Bill Gates Apologizes to Foundation Staff Over Epstein Ties And stick around for GeekWire Trivia: With Xbox entering a new era under Asha Sha

Amazon promises 30-minute delivery with its new Amazon Now service. We put it to the test — live on the show — with help from Michael Levin and Josh Lowitz, co-founders of Consumer Intelligence Research Partners and two of the sharpest Amazon watchers we know. While we wait for our order of yogurt, blueberries, and flossers (long story), Mike and Josh break down why Amazon closed its grocery stores, what its massive future 225,000-square-foot superstore in suburban Chicago could mean, and why Amazon's real play is becoming the ultimate convenience store. Plus: Test your knowledge of Amazon with our weekly trivia question. Will Josh and Mike get it right? Related stories and links:  CIRP Amazon Report on Substack CIRP: By Closing Stores, Amazon Goes All-In on Delivery GeekWire: Amazon closing all Amazon Fresh and Go stores to focus on Whole Foods and grocery delivery Bloomberg: Amazon Dethrones Walmart as World’s Biggest Company by Sales "Learn and Be Curious," the new podcast from

We're live this week in the "Center of the Universe" in Seattle for a special recording of the GeekWire Podcast, presented by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce at Fremont Brewing Co. Fresh off the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory, we debate some potential ownership groups for the Seahawks and Sonics — from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to Costco's Jim Sinegal. (Who wouldn't want $1.50 hot dogs and sodas at Lumen Field or Climate Pledge Arena?)  Then we dig into the debate over Seattle's tech future, sparked by angel investor Charles Fitzgerald's GeekWire column, "A warning to Seattle: Don't become the next Cleveland," which led to a response and ultimately a great conversation with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb. Fremont Chamber Executive Director Pete Hanning joins us to talk about the neighborhood's tech corridor, why Fremont offices are seeing some of the highest return-to-office rates on the West Coast, and how the neighborhood balances its quirky identity with serious business. In the final segment: Te

GeekWire brought Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Seattle tech veteran Charles Fitzgerald together on the phone Thursday after a guest column warning Seattle not to repeat Cleveland's past mistakes sparked a big response — including from Bibb himself. What followed was a constructive conversation about what cities should do when the economic ground shifts beneath them. Plus: a Seattle-to-Cleveland trip may be in the works. Related Links A warning to Seattle: Don’t become the next ClevelandCleveland mayor responds to GeekWire guest column, calls Ohio city a ‘case study of what’s possible’ Mayor Bibb on LinkedIn: "For decades, national narratives have framed Cleveland as a cautionary tale. But that framing misses the bigger story." Note: This is a special bonus episode. Our regular weekly show, recorded live Thursday night in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, will be out Saturday morning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Upcoming GeekWire Podcast Live Event: Join us from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb 12 at Fremont Brewing for a live recording of the GeekWire Podcast with Todd Bishop and John Cook. Free for Fremont Chamber members, $15 otherwise. Register here. This week on the show: Andy Jassy tells Wall Street that Amazon is planning $200 billion in capital expenses this year, mostly to build out AI infrastructure, and investors give it a thumbs down. Microsoft's financial results beat expectations but the company loses $357 billion in market value in a single day after investors learn the extent of its dependence on OpenAI. Meanwhile, OpenAI leases 10 floors of office space in Bellevue, lawmakers in Olympia propose new taxes impacting startup exits and high-income earners, and the bots get their own social network.  In our featured conversation, recorded at a dinner hosted by Accenture in Bellevue, GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop sits down with computer scientist and entrepreneur Oren Etzioni to talk about A

Upcoming GeekWire Podcast Live Event: Join us from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb 12 at Fremont Brewing for a live recording of the GeekWire Podcast with Todd Bishop and John Cook. Free for Fremont Chamber members, $15 for everyone else. Register here. This week on the show, Todd Bishop and Taylor Soper hit the road for a driving tour of the news, making stops at Starbucks, Microsoft, and an Amazon Fresh store in its final days. First up, Starbucks reports its first U.S. transaction growth in about two years — and announces plans for an AI "ordering companion" that translates cravings into custom drinks. Todd tests it the old-fashioned way, ordering a banana bread latte at the drive-through. Then, Microsoft beats quarterly expectations but sees its stock drop 12% in a single day. The culprit? Investor concerns about the company's exposure to OpenAI, which now accounts for roughly 45% of Microsoft's contracted future cloud revenue. Finally, Amazon is closing all of its Fresh grocery stores and Go co

Newly unsealed court documents reveal the behind-the-scenes history of Microsoft and OpenAI · including a surprise: Amazon Web Services was the Silicon Valley AI lab's original partner. Plus, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella debuts a new AI catchphrase at Davos, startup CEO Dave Clark gets attention for his "wildly productive weekend," Elon Musk talks aliens, and the latest on physical AI startups in the Pacific Northwest, including Overland AI and AIM Intelligent Machines. With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop; edited by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Someone listening to last week’s GeekWire Podcast caught something we missed: a misleading comment by Alexa during our voice ordering demo — illustrating the challenges of ordering by voice vs. screen. We followed up with Amazon, which says it has fixed the underlying bug. On this week’s show, we play the audio of the order again. Can you catch it?  Plus, Microsoft announces a "community first" approach to AI data centers after backlash over power and water usage — and President Trump scooped us on the story. We discuss the larger issues and play a highlight from our interview with Microsoft President Brad Smith. Also: the technology capturing images of every fan at Lumen Field, UK police blame Copilot for a hallucinated soccer match, and Redfin Glenn Kelman departs six months after the company's acquisition by Rocket. With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop; Edited by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon and Microsoft are racing to define the next era of consumer AI, on multiple fronts. We discuss Amazon's attempt to upgrade Alexa into a true generative AI home chatbot — complete with a new web portal and updated Alexa app — while Microsoft leverages its enterprise strength to win over retailers with a new Copilot Checkout feature. Plus, we explore Google's upcoming "AI Inbox" for Gmail, which promises to act like an executive assistant for your email. We talk about a DIY bird feeder experiment that resulted in "fuzzy birds," and share our initial experience with AI automation on the PC desktop from Seattle startup Vercept. We offer a Netflix recommendation, Cover-Up, the new documentary about investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. And on that theme, we lament the loss of a major American newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and reminisce about the time we made an appearance on its editorial page. With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Ed

The FCC delivered a massive shakeup to the drone industry right before the holidays, adding foreign-made drones (most notably from industry giant DJI) to its "Covered List" of national security threats. While the move effectively bans the sale of future DJI models in the U.S., GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and John Cook explore why this might be a golden economic opportunity for the Pacific Northwest. Featuring highlights from a recent interview with Blake Resnick of Brinc, the Seattle-based maker of public safety drones, who lobbied for the U.S. policy change and supports the move. Related story: Drone capital of the world? Seattle could be a big winner in the U.S. crackdown on DJI and others Plus, the results are in. After ignoring John’s advice and deciding to retrofit his 2007 Toyota Camry with a modern infotainment system, Todd shares the verdict. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Todd Bishop and John Cook reflect on the top tech stories of 2025, a pivotal year defined by the AI boom's dual nature: massive infrastructure spending alongside widespread layoffs. We discuss Bill Gates' framing of AI as "intelligence becoming free," the tension between tech workers and corporate mandates to adopt AI, and the "best of times, worst of times" dichotomy playing out at Microsoft, Amazon, and across the industry. We also cover the top story of the year — UW rethinking its computer science curriculum — the Statsig acquisition by OpenAI, Seattle's competitive position, and the human side of tech through Ambika Singh's heartfelt speech at the GeekWire Awards. Featuring audio clips from Gates, Satya Nadella, Andy Jassy, Ken Jennings, and more. Audio editing by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're looking for an uncommon thinker, how about a tech industry veteran developing and selling landline phones in 2025 — and selling out of them in the process. Chet Kittleson is the co-founder and CEO of Tin Can, a Seattle startup making Wi-Fi enabled landline phones designed to let kids talk to friends and family with just their voices. No screens, no AI.  GeekWire recognized Kittleson as one of our Uncommon Thinkers for 2025, a program presented in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners honoring inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs transforming their industries in unexpected ways. In this episode, he talks about the moment at school pickup that sparked the idea, why his own kids don't own devices, what happened when he eliminated screens on family road trips, and the $12 million seed round led by Greylock that will fuel the company's next chapter. Related stories: Tin Can dials up another $12M to meet soaring demand for landline-style phone for kids Uncommon Thinkers: Tin Can is Che

On this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast, recorded backstage at the GeekWire Gala at the Showbox Sodo, we sit down with five of the inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs selected as the Seattle region's 2025 Uncommon Thinkers, in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners. Jeff Thornburg spent years building rocket engines for Elon Musk at SpaceX and Paul Allen at Stratolaunch. Now, as CEO of Portal Space Systems, he's moved past chemical rockets to revive a concept NASA studied decades ago but never pursued — a spacecraft powered by focused sunlight. He calls it a "steam engine for space." Read the profile. Anindya Roy grew up in rural India without electricity, came to the U.S. with two suitcases and $2,000, and earned a spot in the lab of a Nobel Prize winner. Now, as co-founder of Lila Biologics, he's using AI to design proteins from scratch (molecules that have never existed in nature) to treat cancer. Read the profile. Jay Graber runs Bluesky, the decentralized social network that's becom

Trevor Noah speaks with GeekWire's Todd Bishop after Noah taught a 5th grade class at Ardmore Elementary in Bellevue, Wash., for Code.org's Hour of AI during Computer Science Education Week. The former Daily Show host, comedian, author, podcast host, and Microsoft "Chief Questions Officer" talks about learning AI alongside kids, the importance of maintaining unbridled curiosity, and how artificial intelligence may — or may not — reshape the craft of comedy. RELATED STORY: ‘We are all kids in the age of AI’: Trevor Noah teaches 5th graders — and learns a few things himselfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon is experimenting again. This week, we dig into our scoop on Amazon Now, the company's new ultrafast delivery service. Plus, we recap the GeekWire team's ride in a Zoox robotaxi on the Las Vegas Strip during AWS re:Invent. And in our featured interview, from the show floor, AWS Senior Vice President Colleen Aubrey discusses Amazon's push into applied AI, why the company sees AI agents as "teammates," and how her team is rethinking product development in the age of agentic coding. RELATED STORIES Stars on the ceiling, Cher on the speakers: Notes from our first ride in Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi Groceries in a flash: We tested ‘Amazon Now’ in Seattle — and got our delivery in 23 minutes AWS CEO Matt Garman thought Amazon needed a million developers, until AI changed his mind With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the real value in AI tools — and what separates those who use them well from those who don't? Sam Ransbotham, professor of business analytics at Boston College and host of the "Me, Myself and AI" podcast from MIT Sloan Management Review, compares notes with GeekWire Podcast host Todd Bishop in a two-part collaboration between the shows. On this episode, they discuss the new digital divide emerging in the classroom, AI's measurement problem (and what Wikipedia teaches us about it), the "race to mediocre," how AI is democratizing startup creation, and the tension between AI productivity, time, and the moments that make us human. Find the rest of their conversation in the Me, Myself and AI podcast feed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: Jeff Bezos is back in startup mode (sort of) with Project Prometheus — a $6.2 billion AI-for-the-physical-world venture that instantly became one of the most talked-about new companies in tech. We dig into what his return to the CEO title really means, why the company’s location is still a mystery, and how this echoes the era when Bezos was regularly launching big bets from Seattle. Then we look at Amazon’s latest real-world experiment: package-return kiosks popping up inside Goodwill stores around the Seattle region. It’s a small pilot, but it brings back memories of the early days when Amazon’s oddball experiments seemed to appear out of nowhere. And finally…Todd makes the case for upgrading his 2007 Toyota Camry with CarPlay, Android Auto, and a backup camera — while John questions the logic of sinking thousands into a beloved older car. All that, plus a mystery Microsoft shirt, a little Seattle nostalgia, and a look ahead to next week’s podcast c

This week: A glimpse of the AI frontier in workplace productivity through the eyes of David Shim — serial entrepreneur, Read AI co-founder and CEO, former Foursquare leader, and this year’s GeekWire Awards CEO of the Year. Shim spoke with GeekWire co-founder John Cook at a recent dinner event hosted in partnership with Accenture, in conjunction with our new Agents of Transformation editorial series, exploring AI, productivity, and the future of work. They discuss the rapid rise of workplace AI, why Shim believes today’s boom is fueled by real revenue rather than dot-com-style subsidies, and where he sees both hype and genuine value emerging. Shim offers insights on AI assistants, cross-team “multiplayer AI,” global adoption, and the controversial idea of “digital twins” built from employees’ work data. Recorded by Jessica Reeves; edited by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle’s consumer-hardware ambitions are once again colliding with economic reality. The struggles of Glowforge and Rad Power Bikes echo a long regional history of big raises, high hopes, and hard landings — shaped by the pandemic, VC, and the unforgiving nature of building real products.  GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook recorded this conversation for the purpose of providing the audio to an AI tool that turned the conversation into a written column that was edited and reviewed before publication. Check it out here. Related Stories:  Glowforge hits restart: After restructuring, co-founders acquire key assets of laser engraver startup Rad Power Bikes faces possible shutdown as it tries to survive ‘significant financial challenges’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.