Bill Hilf has spent decades enterprise tech, open-source technologies, and AI, from IBM and Microsoft to running Paul Allen's portfolio as the CEO of Vulcan. He now chairs the Allen Institute for AI and American Prairie. His debut sci-fi novel, "The Disruption," imagines AI gone very wrong, and implicitly challenges the industry to think differently about how it's building our real future today.

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

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-h-b554/">Bill Hilf </a>has spent decades enterprise tech, open-source technologies, and AI, from IBM and Microsoft to running Paul Allen's portfolio as the CEO of Vulcan. He now chairs the <a href="https://allenai.org/">Allen Institute for AI</a> and <a href="https://americanprairie.org/">American Prairie</a>. His debut sci-fi novel,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disruption-Cycle-W-H-Hilf/dp/B0GD2NCLYW">"The Disruption,"</a> imagines AI gone very wrong, and implicitly challenges the industry to think differently about how it's building our real future today.
With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Edited by Curt Milton.

GeekWire brings you the week's latest technology news, trends and insights, covering the world of technology from our home base in Seattle. Our regular news podcast features commentary and analysis from our editors and reporters, plus interviews with special guests.

GeekWire reporters John Cook, Todd Bishop and guests talk about the latest tech news and trends.

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AI, fungi, and the future of enterprise tech: Industry vet Bill Hilf on his debut novel 'The Disruption'

Microsoft is offering a voluntary retirement program for the first time in its history, with thousands of U.S. employees eligible. GeekWire's Todd Bishop joins KIRO Newsradio hosts Angela Poe Russell and Mike Lewis to break down the details, what makes this so unusual in the tech industry, and what it says about the company's approach to managing costs in the AI era. 

Microsoft is offering <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-will-offer-voluntary-retirement-to-thousands-of-employees-in-a-first-for-tech-giant/">a voluntary retirement program</a> for the first time in its history, with thousands of U.S. employees eligible. GeekWire's Todd Bishop joins KIRO Newsradio hosts Angela Poe Russell and Mike Lewis to break down the details, what makes this so unusual in the tech industry, and what it says about the company's approach to managing costs in the AI era.&nbsp;

Bonus: Microsoft's surprise retirement offer — breaking it down on KIRO Newsradio

This week on the GeekWire Podcast, a week of Seattle-area startup news shows how the AI era is reshaping the regional tech scene. Q1 venture numbers reveal bigger checks going to fewer companies, with Seattle slipping behind the likes of Austin and Miami on deal volume.

And yet the distributed nature of modern startups is complicating what it even means to be a regional tech hub. (Does a mailbox in Pioneer Square really count as a Seattle headquarters?)

Founders and CEOs are navigating the shakeout in different ways. Those with enough cash in the bank are eyeing strategic acquisitions, including opportunities to absorb startups caught up in the AI shakeout.

Meanwhile, many startup leaders are completely rethinking how they hire and expand. More than a third of the GeekWire 200, our ranking of the top Pacific Northwest startups, saw year-over-year employment declines, as agents boost individual productivity and start to reshape the workforce.

Plus: Andy Jassy's shareholder letter signals Amazon is making bets again, in areas including chips and robotics. Driving home the point, the tech giant's ambitious Globalstar acquisition effectively means it's inheriting Apple's satellite roadmap.

And of course we have to talk about Allbirds. The sustainable shoe brand, which once challenged Amazon over knock-off sneakers, pivoted to AI infrastructure and saw its stock soar.

In our final segment, a trivia challenge on the No. 1 companies in GeekWire 200 history.

This week on the GeekWire Podcast, a week of Seattle-area startup news shows how the AI era is reshaping the regional tech scene. <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/bigger-checks-fewer-bets-seattle-startup-deal-count-drops-to-lowest-level-since-2020/">Q1 venture numbers</a> reveal bigger checks going to fewer companies, with Seattle slipping behind the likes of Austin and Miami on deal volume.
And yet the distributed nature of modern startups is complicating what it even means to be a regional tech hub. (Does a mailbox in Pioneer Square really count as a Seattle headquarters?)
Founders and CEOs are navigating the shakeout in different ways. Those with enough cash in the bank are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/seekouts-anoop-gupta-steps-down-as-ceo-hands-reins-of-ai-recruiting-company-to-tech-vet-sean-thompson/">eyeing strategic acquisitions</a>, including opportunities to <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/seattle-startup-ambassador-acquires-ad-platform-humming-eyes-more-deals-amid-ai-shakeout/">absorb startups caught up in the AI shakeout</a>.
Meanwhile, many startup leaders are completely rethinking how they hire and expand. More than a third of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/geekwire-200/">GeekWire 200</a>, our ranking of the top Pacific Northwest startups, saw year-over-year employment declines, as agents boost individual productivity and start to reshape the workforce.
Plus: Andy Jassy's <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/not-on-a-hunch-andy-jassy-defends-amazons-200b-spending-spree/">shareholder letter</a> signals Amazon is making bets again, in areas including chips and robotics. Driving home the point, the tech giant's ambitious <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/amazon-and-apple-vs-starlink-globalstar-satellite-acquisition-comes-with-a-big-iphone-bonus/">Globalstar acquisition</a> effectively means it's inheriting Apple's satellite roadmap.
And of course we have to talk about Allbirds. The sustainable shoe brand, which once <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/allbirds-calls-amazon-strikingly-similar-sneaker-urges-tech-giant-steal-approach-sustainability-instead/">challenged Amazon</a> over knock-off sneakers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/allbirds-bird-stock-shoes-ai.html">pivoted to AI infrastructure</a> and saw its stock soar.
In our final segment, a trivia challenge on the No. 1 companies in GeekWire 200 history.

The tough new realities for startups, Amazon's next big strategic bets, and Allbirds' crazy AI pivot

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: we take the show on the road — or rather, on the rails — recording on Sound Transit's 2 Line as we ride the world's first light rail on a floating bridge from Seattle's Northgate neighborhood to Microsoft's campus in Redmond.

Along the way, we talk tech news, chat with fellow passengers, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the engineering from Sound Transit's Henry Bendon.

After arriving in Redmond, we sit down with Microsoft President Brad Smith to talk about the company's two-decade role in making the Crosslake Connection a reality — and hit him with a trivia question he didn't see coming.

We also discuss Anduril's autonomous warship facility on Seattle's ship canal, golf star Bryson DeChambeau's acquisition of Bellevue-based Sportsbox AI ahead of the Masters, and more.

With GeekWire's John Cook, Todd Bishop, and Kurt Schlosser. Edited by Curt Milton.

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: we take the show on the road &mdash; or rather, on the rails &mdash; recording on <a href="https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/routes-schedules/2-line">Sound Transit's 2 Line</a> as we ride the <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-lime-and-others-helping-to-celebrate-opening-of-new-light-rail-line-from-seattle-to-eastside/">world's first light rail on a floating bridge</a> from Seattle's Northgate neighborhood to Microsoft's campus in Redmond.
Along the way, we talk tech news, chat with fellow passengers, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the engineering from Sound Transit's <a href="https://www.instagram.com/henryonboard/">Henry Bendon</a>.
After arriving in Redmond, we sit down with Microsoft President&nbsp;<a href="https://news.microsoft.com/source/exec/brad-smith/">Brad Smith</a> to talk about the company's two-decade role in making the <a href="https://www.soundtransit.org/crosslake">Crosslake Connection</a> a reality &mdash; and hit him with a trivia question he didn't see coming.
We also discuss <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/defense-giant-anduril-is-quietly-building-autonomous-warships-on-seattles-historic-ship-canal/">Anduril's autonomous warship facility on Seattle's ship canal</a>, golf star <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/golf-star-bryson-dechambeau-leads-acquisition-of-seattle-area-startup-sportsbox-ai/">Bryson DeChambeau's acquisition of Bellevue-based Sportsbox AI</a> ahead of the Masters, and more.
With GeekWire's John Cook, Todd Bishop, and Kurt Schlosser. Edited by Curt Milton.

AI, fungi, and the future of enterprise tech: Industry vet Bill Hilf on his debut novel 'The Disruption'

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