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AI, the brain, and the crowd: Research explores new ways for humans and tech to work together

Illustration: Triton 4000/2 Abyssal Explorer submersible for Titanic dives

Video

A year after OceanGate tragedy, billionaire plans Titanic trip in a different submersible

by Alan Boyle on May 28, 2024May 28, 2024 at 9:10 am

Less than a year after the loss of Everett, Wash.-based OceanGate’s submersible and its five-person crew during a dive to the Titanic, Triton Submarines is planning a trip to the… Read More

How a funeral, a pub night and a flight led an entrepreneur to launch a mental health text service

by Lisa Stiffler on May 27, 2024May 27, 2024 at 8:41 am

As entrepreneurs scramble to plug chatbots and generative AI into seemingly everything, Help Texts founder and CEO Emma Payne is sticking with something simpler. Seattle-based Help Texts is a subscription… Read More

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Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of May 19, 2024

by GeekWire on May 26, 2024May 26, 2024 at 8:00 am

See the technology stories that people were reading on GeekWire for the week of May 19, 2024.… Read More

Podcast

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs: Is this the AI computer revolution we’ve been looking for?

by Todd Bishop on May 25, 2024May 25, 2024 at 8:38 am

Microsoft and major PC makers this week announced a plan to incorporate artificial intelligence directly into personal computers, adding on-board neural processing units (NPUs) as part of a new architecture… Read More

Bot or Not

How a funeral, a pub night and a flight led an entrepreneur to launch a mental health text service

Chatbots for teachers: Univ. of Washington releases free AI tool for quicker, better lesson plans

Bipartisan bill aims to bolster AI education and workforce training in the U.S.

Do robots harm or help hospitality labor shortages? New research warns of worker anxieties

For more about the evolving relationship between humans and machines, check out Bot or Not.

Amazon shareholder proposals on warehouse and union issues lead voting but fail to pass

by Taylor Soper on May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 at 1:58 pm

Amazon shareholder resolutions related to warehouse working conditions and the company’s response to labor unions garnered the most support among the 14 proposals at this year’s annual shareholders meeting, according… Read More

Tech Moves: Icertis adds COO and CMO; ex-Zulily CEO lands new gig; Maveron hires senior associate

by Taylor Soper on May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 at 12:35 pm

Bellevue, Wash.-based contract management software company Icertis recently added two new executives: Anand Subbaraman as chief operating officer and Jay Lee as chief marketing officer. Subbaraman, based in India, was… Read More

Civic

Seattle scraps plans for controversial gunshot detection tech as it explores ways to curb crime

Seattle lawmakers postpone vote on new minimum wage law for food delivery drivers

Seattle restaurant owners sound off on delivery apps as council votes on minimum wage law

Seattle resident files FTC complaint alleging Uber, DoorDash mislead customers with ‘junk fees’

Read more about tech policy, urban development, transportation, housing, the environment, regulation, and issues impacting the innovation economy.

Chatbots for teachers: Univ. of Washington releases free AI tool for quicker, better lesson plans

by Lisa Stiffler on May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 at 7:46 am

Teachers are spending more than 10 hours per week prepping their lesson plans, cutting into time that could be spent with students. A team at the University of Washington wants… Read More

Not just another coding bot: Pioneer Square Labs releases JACoB AI agent as open-source project

by Todd Bishop on May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 at 8:03 am

Would it be possible to build an AI summer intern? Kevin Leneway, principal software engineer at Pioneer Square Labs, had that thought last year as an early user of GitHub… Read More

GeekWire Podcasts

AI, the brain, and the crowd: Research explores new ways for humans and tech to work together

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs: Is this the AI computer revolution we’ve been looking for?

The rise of ‘Technocapitalism’ and its impact on humanity, with economist Loretta Napoleoni

Inside the GeekWire Awards: What’s next for AI, the economy, and startups

Listen to more GeekWire Podcasts.

Video

Shift AI Podcast: Setting AI guidelines at work, with City of Seattle interim CTO, Jim Loter

by Boaz Ashkenazy on May 24, 2024May 24, 2024 at 7:15 am

As the interim CTO of the City of Seattle and leader of IT-related projects within the city’s departments, Jim Loter has deep insights into how municipal employees use emerging technology… Read More

Video

Look, and listen: AI headphones cancel background noise and focus on one speaker after a glance

by Kurt Schlosser on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 at 11:55 am

Perhaps you’ve heard the admonishment “look at me when I’m speaking to you.” But what if while wearing headphones you could listen to someone more clearly just by looking at… Read More

Orbital selfie of Amazon Kuipersat satellite

Final test: Amazon’s Project Kuiper begins to deorbit prototype broadband satellites

by Alan Boyle on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 at 11:46 am

After a series of successful tests, Amazon says it has begun the monthslong process of bringing two prototype satellites for its Project Kuiper broadband internet constellation down from orbit. “The… Read More

Video

Brinc unveils new 911 response drone, says it can handle 25% of calls without police officers

by Todd Bishop on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 at 11:54 am

Brinc announced a new public safety drone designed to fly ahead of police in response to 911 calls to quickly assess situations and, in some cases, eliminate the need for… Read More

Video

Seattle resident files FTC complaint alleging Uber, DoorDash mislead customers with ‘junk fees’

by Taylor Soper on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 at 9:09 am

A new complaint asks the Federal Trade Commission to investigate fees that Uber and DoorDash added to customer orders in Seattle following the implementation of a minimum wage law earlier… Read More

Video

New LEGO skyscraper exhibit at Seattle’s MOHAI shows off some impressive building blocks

by Kurt Schlosser on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 at 11:46 am

The most impressive skyline view in Seattle is coming to the inside of the city’s Museum of History and Industry. But what makes this “view” at MOHAI especially fun and… Read More

Salesforce, Microsoft vets raise $8M for new AI cybersecurity startup

by Taylor Soper on May 23, 2024May 22, 2024 at 10:38 pm

A new Seattle-area startup is using artificial intelligence to help overwhelmed security teams identify high priority security flaws and mitigate threats. Averlon just raised $8 million in a seed round… Read More

Bipartisan bill aims to bolster AI education and workforce training in the U.S.

by Lisa Stiffler on May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 at 2:15 pm

Sen. Maria Cantwell introduced new legislation Thursday packed with initiatives to strengthen American education and workforce training in artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state and… Read More

First crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner capsule rescheduled amid troubleshooting

by Alan Boyle on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 5:56 pm

Update: Mission managers say they are evaluating plans for the first crewed flight test of Boeing’s Starliner space taxi and are working toward a launch opportunity on June 1. An… Read More

Seattle peer-to-peer laundry startup Loopie sells part of business to two companies

by Kurt Schlosser on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 3:44 pm

Loopie, the peer-to-peer laundry startup that connects people who don’t have the time or desire to wash their own clothes with those who want to earn money doing it, sold… Read More

Illustration: Stylized microchip incorporating the look of a whole-slide pathology image

Video

Microsoft, Providence and UW make use of generative AI for digital cancer diagnosis

by Alan Boyle on May 22, 2024May 23, 2024 at 12:59 am

Researchers at Microsoft, Providence Health System and the University of Washington say they’ve developed a new artificial intelligence model for diagnosing cancer, based on an analysis of more than a… Read More

Seattle-area teams blast into top 25 in national finals of American Rocketry Challenge

by Kurt Schlosser on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 3:10 pm

Three Seattle-area teams made strong showings during the national finals of the 2024 American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest student rocket-launching challenge. Out of 100 teams competing during the event… Read More

Amazon shareholders reject all 14 proposals on issues related to climate, AI, working conditions

by Taylor Soper on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 10:38 am

Investors representing a majority of Amazon’s shares voted against all 14 outside proposals submitted for the annual meeting of shareholders Wednesday morning, according to the company. The announcement of the… Read More

Redmond high school student is ‘Google for Doodle’ contest winner for Washington state

by Kurt Schlosser on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 11:57 am

Mahee Chandrasekhar, a 9th grader at Redmond High School in Redmond, Wash., is the Washington state winner in the 16th annual “Doodle for Google” contest. Mahee, 15, is one of 55… Read More

Opioid and alcohol addiction care startup Boulder Care raises $35M

by Kurt Schlosser on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 1:49 pm

Boulder Care, a Portland, Ore.-based startup that provides telehealth treatment for people with opioid and alcohol use disorder, raised $35 million in new funding. Led by founder and CEO Stephanie… Read More

Tech Moves: Madrona adds Silicon Valley partner; Walmart execs join Nex; and more

by Taylor Soper on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 11:15 am

Seattle-based venture capital firm Madrona is boosting its Silicon Valley footprint with the addition of Jeff Mills as partner and head of investor relations. Mills most recently was managing director… Read More

Amperity CEO Barry Padgett stepping down from Seattle startup

by Lisa Stiffler on May 22, 2024May 22, 2024 at 6:43 am

Amperity CEO Barry Padgett is stepping down from the Seattle startup to spend time with his teenage children and will transition to an advisor role beginning next month. Chris Jones, Amperity’s… Read More

Video

A year after OceanGate tragedy, billionaire plans Titanic trip in a different submersible

How a funeral, a pub night and a flight led an entrepreneur to launch a mental health text service

Latest GeekWire Videos

Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of May 19, 2024

Microsoft Copilot+ PCs: Is this the AI computer revolution we’ve been looking for?

Bot or Not

Amazon shareholder proposals on warehouse and union issues lead voting but fail to pass

Tech Moves: Icertis adds COO and CMO; ex-Zulily CEO lands new gig; Maveron hires senior associate

Civic

Chatbots for teachers: Univ. of Washington releases free AI tool for quicker, better lesson plans

Not just another coding bot: Pioneer Square Labs releases JACoB AI agent as open-source project

GeekWire Podcasts

Shift AI Podcast: Setting AI guidelines at work, with City of Seattle interim CTO, Jim Loter

Look, and listen: AI headphones cancel background noise and focus on one speaker after a glance

Final test: Amazon’s Project Kuiper begins to deorbit prototype broadband satellites

Brinc unveils new 911 response drone, says it can handle 25% of calls without police officers

Seattle resident files FTC complaint alleging Uber, DoorDash mislead customers with ‘junk fees’

New LEGO skyscraper exhibit at Seattle’s MOHAI shows off some impressive building blocks

Salesforce, Microsoft vets raise $8M for new AI cybersecurity startup

Bipartisan bill aims to bolster AI education and workforce training in the U.S.

First crewed mission of Boeing’s Starliner capsule rescheduled amid troubleshooting

Seattle peer-to-peer laundry startup Loopie sells part of business to two companies

Microsoft, Providence and UW make use of generative AI for digital cancer diagnosis

Seattle-area teams blast into top 25 in national finals of American Rocketry Challenge

Amazon shareholders reject all 14 proposals on issues related to climate, AI, working conditions

Redmond high school student is ‘Google for Doodle’ contest winner for Washington state

Opioid and alcohol addiction care startup Boulder Care raises $35M

Tech Moves: Madrona adds Silicon Valley partner; Walmart execs join Nex; and more

Amperity CEO Barry Padgett stepping down from Seattle startup

How Amazon’s new cloud chief Matt Garman will approach the big challenges ahead

Fintech startup Copper forced to discontinue banking services amid Synapse fiasco

OpenAI’s Sam Altman appears at Microsoft Build amid dustup over voice technologies

Seattle’s economic strength helps propel it to No. 6 in new ranking of top 1,000 global cities

Microsoft will make Khan Academy’s Khanmigo AI tool free to U.S. teachers in cloud shift