This week, we take a closer look at Amazon's Alexa in a world where generative AI is enabling increasingly sophisticated conversations with digital assistants. 
How does Alexa stack up against ChatGPT? Is that even a fair comparison? How will privacy play into all of this? And what's Amazon's commitment to Alexa in this era of corporate cutbacks. Those are some of the topics we discuss with Rohit Prasad, the longtime senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa, whose role has expanded in the past year to lead the entire Alexa business. 
With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Edited and produced by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon's Alexa and the rapid evolution of AI

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This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we discuss Amazon's efforts to compete with Trader Joe's, and the related tactics revealed in "The Everything War," the new book by Dana Mattioli of the Wall Street Journal. We also revisit last week's episode with Mattioli and share some of the reactions to the discussion.
Plus, the FTC probes Amazon's internal use of Signal's disappearing messages feature, a newly disclosed email shows how Microsoft scrambled to catch up in artificial intelligence, and a new report says that Bill Gates is still a highly influential figure inside Microsoft, especially when it comes to the company's AI strategy.
Finally, we go inside the Seattle courtroom where a prominent figure from the cryptocurrency world, Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, received a controversial prison sentence this week.
Other stories discussed on the show:

Amazon stock rises as Q1 earnings top estimates with $143.3B in revenue; AWS sales up 17%
DoorDash rips Seattle over minimum wage law; reports record quarterly revenue of $2.5B
Prudential to shut down Assurance, the insurance tech startup it acquired for $2.35B in 2019
KING5: Binance founder Changpeng Zhao sentenced to 4 months for allowing money laundering
Business Insider: Bill Gates is still pulling strings at Microsoft, overseeing AI ideas
Internet Archive: Full text: An epic Bill Gates rant
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon vs. Trader Joe's; Bill Gates still a force at Microsoft; Inside the Binance founder's sentencing

A conversation with Dana Mattioli, Wall Street Journal reporter and author of the new book, "The Everything War: Amazon’s Ruthless Quest to Own the World and Remake Corporate Power." With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'The Everything War': Inside Amazon with author and Wall Street Journal reporter Dana Mattioli

This week on the show, we get a sneak preview of the GeekWire Awards, coming up at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle on Thursday, May 9.

We look back at the past winners of the Next Tech Titan title in the awards, and consider the event's track record in predicting major companies to emerge from Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
We also contemplate the evolution of the "Workplace of the Year" category through the rise of remote and hybrid work.
And finally, we consider the impact of migration on another part of state: Spokane, Wash., and the Inland Northwest.

See more GeekWire Awards coverage, and learn more about the event, which is presented by Astound Business Solutions.
With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who will be the Next Tech Titan? Previewing the GeekWire Awards

This week on the show, we sit down with Werner Vogels, the Amazon chief technology officer, at Amazon in Seattle. We talked about the evolution of artificial intelligence, the promise of AI in healthcare and the environment, his broader tech predictions for the year, and one of his most iconic traditions at the company's annual cloud conference.
Read more on GeekWire: Amazon CTO Werner Vogels on the rapid progress of AI, and its impact on society

Werner Vogels - All Things Distributed
Archive of Now Go Build episodes
AWS re:Invent 2023 - Keynote with Dr. Werner Vogels
Tech Predictions for 2024 and beyond
@Werner on X.

With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop; Edited by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon CTO Werner Vogels on AI, healthcare, and sustainability

This week on the show: Computer scientist Juan Lavista Ferres is corporate vice president and chief data scientist at Microsoft, and the lab director of Microsoft's AI for Good research lab, leading a team of data scientists and researchers in AI, machine learning and statistical modeling, focusing on global challenges like health, climate change, and digital literacy. He's one of the editors and authors of the new book AI for Good, Applications, in Sustainability, Humanitarian Action and Health, featuring case studies from Microsoft, to be published by Wiley on April 9. 
With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Edited by Curt Milton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon's Alexa and the rapid evolution of AI

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