Startup entrepreneur and investor Ben Gilbert, co-founder and managing director of Pioneer Square Labs and PSL Ventures, is always watching for the next big tech wave. He concedes that there have been plenty of false starts in the industry in the past: augmented and virtual reality, "personal audio computing," and more.

But Gilbert, who also co-hosts the popular podcast "Acquired," didn't hesitate for a moment when asked what he believes will be the most important technology of 2023.

"ChatGPT based on GPT 4," he said, referencing a future version of OpenAI's conversational AI chatbot running on the next version of its large language model.

Gilbert and his Acquired co-host David Rosenthal were two of the business and tech leaders who spoke with us about the challenges of the past year and their outlook for the future at the GeekWire Gala on Dec. 4. The potential for generative and prescriptive AI to transform industries was a key theme running through many of the conversations.

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