GeekWire

The ongoing layoffs across the tech industry are impacting women at a disproportionately higher rate than men, representing a possible setback for the industry's efforts to improve its gender diversity. That’s according to research conducted by talent intelligence platform Eightfold AI. Our guest this week is Sania Khan, chief economist at talent intelligence platform Eightfold AI, and a former U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics senior economist. 

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This podcast features Kirill Zubovsky, a startup founder and consultant, who is now working with AI to create applications. He talks about his journey over the past few months with AI, his experience with generative AI and GPT-3, and the application of AI he has been working on, Smartynames, a domain and business name finder. He also talks about his experience living in a van with his two kids and two pets and his thoughts on the current "App Store moment" for artificial intelligence.

(This summary was produced by SwellAI.com based on its AI analysis of the content in this week's episode, with only minor human edits for style.)

GeekWire story: Putting the AI in domains: Why the new era of artificial intelligence inspires this startup founder

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One of the defining tech industry trends of the past decade, along with the meteoric expansion of big companies and their insatiable appetite for talent, was the growing influence of engineers commanding ever-increasing salaries. 

That's changing with the waves of layoffs by Amazon, Microsoft, Google parent Alphabet, Salesforce, Facebook parent Meta, and others. The big salary increases that workers could expect when changing jobs are becoming a thing of the past.

It's one of the major behind-the-scenes shifts happening as a result of the Big Tech cutbacks, our topic this week on the GeekWire Podcast. 

Related stories and links:

• Full memo: Microsoft to cut 10k jobs, about 5% of workforce, and take $1.2B restructuring charge
• Microsoft and Amazon job cuts mark new phase for tech industry after decade of massive growth
• Commentary: Washington state’s tech industry will continue to grow, despite layoffs
• Bloomberg: Amazon, Microsoft Job Cuts Deal Another Blow to Ailing Seattle
• Stanford News: Why are there so many tech layoffs, and why should we be worried? Stanford scholar explains
• New York Times: The Era of Happy Tech Workers is Over
• CNBC: Apple grew more slowly than Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta, and has so far dodged major layoffs

With GeekWire's Todd Bishop and John Cook

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Seattle Public Schools is suing TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat for damages stemming from what the suit describes as a youth mental health crisis.

That crisis, the suit alleges, has been caused by the deliberate actions of the companies in deploying algorithms designed "to maximize engagement by preying on the psychology of children."

GeekWire broke the news of the lawsuit last weekend, and it went on to be covered by media outlets across the country. 

Critics say the suit over-simplifies the causes of mental health challenges by pinning the blame on social media companies and not recognizing the responsibilities of parents and schools, and other societal factors.

The suit, modeled after e-cigarette litigation, will also need to overcome some significant legal hurdles. But beyond the outcome of the lawsuit itself, what's at stake is the national conversation over social media and youth mental health.

The suit already succeeded in drawing more attention to the issue of youth mental health, and the roles and responsibilities of the companies behind some of today's most popular apps.

On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we're replaying highlights from GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop's conversations about the lawsuit on two radio programs this week: Soundside on KUOW Public Radio in Seattle with host Libby Denkmann; and The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC Public Radio in New York.

Related Post: Are social media companies to blame for youth mental health crisis? It’s complicated

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What would a combination of OpenAI's ChatGPT natural language chatbot with Microsoft's Bing search engine look like?

We discuss the potentially surprising possibilities with longtime journalist and Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley, editor-in-chief at DirectionsOnMicrosoft.com, following a report this week by The Information, citing unnamed sources who say Microsoft is working on just such an integration. 

Also on the show, we discuss the evolution and future of Microsoft Power Platform, and the key issues facing the company in the year ahead. Plus, we get the details on Mary Jo's new role, which includes writing the new Directions on Microsoft Blog, and hosting the Directions on Microsoft Briefing podcast.

Read Mary Jo Foley's posts for more on these topics: 

• Could OpenAI's ChatGPT make Microsoft's long-rumored Bing chatbot a reality?
• Microsoft's plan to turn its Power Platform into a 'Power House'

Hosted by GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, [email protected].

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How closely were you reading GeekWire this year? Here's your chance to put that accumulated knowledge to the test. It's our 2022 News Quiz — this year featuring multiple planes, a famed arcade, breakthrough innovations in science and technology, and the adventures of our local tech moguls. 

If you want to take the quiz yourself before listening to the show, see geekwire.com/2022newsquiz.

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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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Amazon is resetting its business. Is it doing enough to change its mindset?

In an analysis published this week, advisor, speaker, author, and former Amazon executive John Rossman presents a blueprint for turning the company around — advocating a "zero-based mindset" in which every initiative needs to be justified from scratch, and a "brutal rationalization of capital expenses," among other steps.

"I honestly think that Jeff's biggest concern about Amazon was always that it would become a bureaucracy," says Rossman, referring to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. "This is the opportunity to change the forward-looking narrative on Amazon: are they going to go into the slow bureaucratic mindset, or are they going to return to their roots as a scrappy, small-team oriented, highly accountable organization?"

Rossman joins GeekWire's Todd Bishop on this episode to discuss Amazon's path forward. 

Rossman is the founder of Rossman Partners, a management consulting team, he worked previously at turnaround consulting firm Alvarez and Marsal. During his tenure at Amazon, from 2002-2005, helped to launch and build Amazon Marketplace before leading the company’s Enterprise Services business.

He has authored three books, including The Amazon Way, and he writes the weekly Digital Leader Newsletter, found at Substack.

RELATED: Is it ‘Day 2’ at Amazon? A former executive’s turnaround plan for the tech giant

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For anyone reading the news about Ticketmaster and Taylor Swift, or Twitter and Elon Musk, the problem of malicious bots might seem insurmountable.

These automated programs can snap up concert tickets in the blink of an eye, or pose as humans on social media, among countless other mischievous tasks. Bad bots are a big problem, accounting for one-quarter to as much as one-half of global internet traffic, or even more, by different estimates. 

But they are not invincible.

That's the assessment of F5 CEO François Locoh-Donou. Seattle-based F5 is one of a growing number of tech companies that offer solutions to detect, deter, and defeat bots. 

"You beat that automation — that bad automation from bad actors — with better technology, and that better technology does exist today," he says.

Locoh-Donou joins us to discuss the issue on this week's GeekWire Podcast. Plus, his take on the economy, and the future of the physical office.

With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Produced by Curt Milton.

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Amazon created the initial technical scaffolding for Alexa quickly, jumping out to an early lead in the market for smart speakers and voice assistants in the home. But nearly a decade later, Alexa is still under construction. 

That's the perspective from Tigger (Charlie) Kindel, a Seattle tech industry veteran who worked at Amazon from 2013 to 2018, leading Alexa product management before building the Alexa smart-home technology team. 

We contacted him this week to get his perspective as Amazon resets its strategy for Alexa and Echo. The company is making widespread layoffs on its Devices & Services team amid reports that the division is losing as much as $10 billion a year.

Plus: New comments about the future of Alexa from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. 

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