This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Why is Amazon laying off 14,000 people in the middle of the AI boom – and is it really a boom? We dig into the conflict at the heart of Seattle’s tech scene, discussing Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s “world’s biggest startup” argument and what it says about the company’s culture and strategy. And we debate whether AI advances represent true transformations or familiar signs of a tech bubble.
Then we examine the vision for Cascadia High-Speed Rail — the ambitious plan to connect Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., via bullet train. Is this the regional infrastructure needed to power the next chapter of the Pacific Northwest, or an expensive dream looking for a purpose?
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop
Related headlines from the week
Amazon layoffs
- Amazon confirms 14,000 job cuts, says pressure to ‘gain skills’ will continue through 2026
- Two Seattle tales in the age of AI: Harsh reality and new hope for the tech community
- Filing: Amazon cuts more than 2,300 jobs in Washington state as part of broader layoffs
- Amazon layoffs hit software engineers in Washington the hardest
- Reaction to Amazon layoffs: ‘Thought I was a top performer but guess I’m expendable’
- Amazon CEO says massive corporate layoffs were about agility — not AI or cost-cutting
Amazon’s revenue
- Amazon stock rises 11% after topping Q3 estimates with $180B revenue, $21B profit
- Amazon’s demographic investment boosted its quarterly profit by $9.5B
- ‘Big Beautiful’ tax benefits: Amazon and other tech giants are reaping the rewards of the new law for now
Microsoft Azure, Earnings and OpenAI
- Microsoft’s Azure cloud has reported outages, disrupting customers worldwide, including Alaska Airlines
- Microsoft beat expectations, reporting nearly $35B in Q1 capital spending amid Azure outages
- Microsoft gets 27% stake in OpenAI and $250B Azure commitment
Seattle-Portland-Vancouver
- Slowly but surely, high-speed rail advocates believe the Cascadia mega-project will become a reality
- Cascadia’s AI Paradox: A World-Leading Opportunity Threatened by Rising Costs and a Talent Crisis
- The ‘huge hurdle’ that threatens economic growth in the Pacific Northwest
- Beta’s unique electric plane flies in Seattle to wow state officials and aviation experts
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