Tech historian Margaret O’Mara, author of "The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America," takes a deep dive into Microsoft's founding narrative. She discusses the pivotal 1980 meeting between Bill Gates and an early investor, which shaped Microsoft's initial funding. O'Mara reveals how the strategic choice of Seattle and innovative software monetization propelled Microsoft to success. Additionally, she addresses the early skepticism surrounding software as a business and the challenging culture that prevailed at the company, all while highlighting its lasting impact on technology and productivity.

Explore the intriguing world of self-driving wheelchairs and the unexpected hurdles they face. Dive into Barry Diller's bold take on the Uber-Expedia merger and the implications for travel tech. Discover how the new Trump administration may reshape tech regulation, including the FTC's scrutiny of Amazon. Reflect on modern leadership styles and useful financial tips for kids. Plus, get a glimpse of exciting community events celebrating innovation, like a unique fashion contest and a look back at Microsoft's mobile history.

Danielle Lee Thompson, a research manager at the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public, dives into the role of AI and social media in spreading misinformation ahead of the 2024 election. She discusses how financial incentives fuel the rumor mill and the influence of AI-generated content on public perception. Thompson emphasizes the critical need for media literacy and fact-checking, particularly around divisive topics like non-citizen voting. Solutions for bridging the gap between academia and public understanding are also explored.

Panos Panay, Amazon's Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, shares insights from his transformative year at Amazon after his time at Microsoft. He introduces the new Kindle Colorsoft, highlighting its focus on a vibrant, distraction-free reading experience. Panay discusses his excitement about AI, particularly generative summaries for the upcoming Kindle Scribe, emphasizing that it's here to stay. He touches on the integration of projects like Alexa and Project Kuiper, showcasing Amazon's innovative spirit in evolving consumer technology.

Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce and owner of Time magazine, shares his excitement for AI agents that can transform business operations. He critiques Microsoft's Copilot, likening it to the notorious Clippy, and argues it undermines AI's potential with its shortcomings. Benioff introduces Salesforce's new AgentForce, designed for enhanced data security and operations. The conversation spans his political involvement through media ownership and the need for balancing AI advancements with human relationships in modern workplaces.

Peter Lee, President of Microsoft Research, dives into the exciting future of AI, sharing the top three technical challenges that lie ahead. He discusses the transformative impact of generative AI on research and everyday life. The conversation also touches on the potential merger between Uber and Expedia, revealing strategic implications and the rise of 'super apps.' Additionally, insights about Steve Ballmer's evolution post-Microsoft offer a nostalgic look into leadership in tech. A fascinating blend of innovation and history!

Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming the way companies get stuff to stores and doorsteps, changing the world of logistics, transportation and the supply chain, as demonstrated by a few Amazon-related stories we covered this week:  Amazon's unveiling of a new "Vision-Assisted Package Retrieval (VAPR) system for the cargo hold of its electric Rivian vans; The announcement of Amazon’s next-generation fulfillment center, with updated and expanded versions of its robotics systems in Shreveport, La. Former Amazon executive Dave Clark's launch of a new supply chain technology startup, based in the Seattle area, with $100 million in funding out of the gate.  Those are our topics in our first two segments of the show this week. In the third segment, we hear more about the new Cancer AI Alliance spearheaded by Seattle’s Fred Hutch Cancer Center, in partnership with other national cancer research organizations and major tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft and Nvidia.  With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were looking for a guest expert to discuss the new Microsoft Copilot features on the show this week, when we realized, why not go straight to the source? Our guest host for the first segment of the show is Microsoft Copilot, taking advantage of the new voice interaction mode rolled out by the company this week.  RELATED: New Microsoft Copilot features include natural AI voice interactions and daily news summary In the second segment, we get a behind-the-scenes view of this and other new features with a couple of clips from Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, from the closing session at Madrona’s Intelligent Applications Summit on Wednesday afternoon in downtown Seattle. He spoke on stage with S. “Soma” Somasegar, a former Microsoft executive who is now a managing director with the venture capital firm. RELATED: Microsoft AI CEO sees long-term memory as key to unlocking future AI experiences And in the final segment, GeekWire's Todd Bishop and John Cook — two humans! — assess Todd's conversation with Microsoft Copilot in the first segment, reflecting on the evolution of artificial intelligence and where it still falls short of human capability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Simonyi is known in the tech industry for his work at Microsoft. He played a leading role in creating Word, Excel and other programs back in the 1980s. He rejoined the company in 2017 with its acquisition of his startup, Intentional Software.  But he's had a longtime fascination with space, taking two trips to the International Space Station, in 2007 and 2009, and helping to fund a long-awaited new space survey telescope in Chile that bears his family's name.  On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, Simonyi speaks with Geekwire contributing editor Alan Boyle, the veteran space and science journalist, about the new Simonyi Survey Telescope, the potential for new discoveries, and his longtime fascination with space.  Related story: Tech leader Charles Simonyi provides a wide-angle view of the telescope that bears his family name Edited by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon's decision to bring its employees back to the office five days a week is a window into the challenges facing the e-commerce and technology giant, and CEO Andy Jassy's larger plan to get the company to operate like "the world's largest startup" again. Plus, GeekWire's John Cook gets into the back seat of a driverless car for the first time since 2018, and has a very different experience. Coverage of Amazon's announcement: Amazon ‘will return to being in the office the way we were’ before the pandemic, CEO tells employees ‘The way we were’: Amazon tries to rekindle its future by rediscovering a spark from the past Thoughts on Amazon’s full return to the office from a CEO who knows the value — and the trade-offs A ‘home run’ or a ‘cowardly’ decision? Amazon’s new in-person work policy elicits cheers and jeers Amazon’s new back-to-office mandate fuels debate over remote work and productivity Waymo links and related stories: NPR: Armed with traffic cones, protesters are immobilizing driverless cars GeekWire in 2018: We rode in Uber’s self-driving car, and now we’re less confident in the future of autonomous vehicles Video of John's Waymo ride this week. The Verge: Waymo and Uber expand their robotaxi partnership to Austin and Atlanta With John Cook and Todd Bishop; Edited by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.