This week on the GeekWire Podcast: A conversation with Microsoft President Brad Smith, on stage at GeekWire’s Microsoft@50 event this week at Town Hall Seattle, discussing the company’s anniversary and what’s next for the industry and the world.

Related Links
Microsoft@50 recap: Company faithful mark first 50 years and look to future at GeekWire event
Microsoft president: Proposed Washington state business taxes would weaken tech sector

Links discussed in the podcast intro:
Using AI to uncover allegations in the JFK files of the CIA secretly funding a series of spy novels to influence public opinion in the 1960s.
Fireballs, foxholes, and cryogenic suspension: Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman’s greatest quips

With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: A conversation with Microsoft President Brad Smith, on stage at GeekWire&rsquo;s Microsoft@50 event this week at Town Hall Seattle, discussing the company&rsquo;s anniversary and what&rsquo;s next for the industry and the world.
Related Links
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft50-recap-company-faithful-mark-first-50-years-and-look-to-future-at-geekwire-event/">Microsoft@50 recap: Company faithful mark first 50 years and look to future at GeekWire event</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-president-says-new-proposed-business-taxes-in-washington-state-will-weaken-tech-sector/">Microsoft president: Proposed Washington state business taxes would weaken tech sector</a></li>
</ul>
Links discussed in the podcast intro:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bishoptodd_for-an-evening-diversion-i-couldnt-help-activity-7307971409564114946-xMFZ?utm_source=share&amp;amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;amp;rcm=ACoAAAAmZBMB4ZPLFVeakJlucqgeZbv9Gl1WRKU">Using AI to uncover allegations in the JFK files of the CIA secretly funding a series of spy novels to influence public opinion in the 1960s.</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/fireballs-foxholes-and-cryogenic-suspension-redfin-ceo-glenn-kelmans-greatest-quips/">Fireballs, foxholes, and cryogenic suspension: Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman&rsquo;s greatest quips</a></li>
</ul>
With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop

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.

GeekWire

Microsoft President Brad Smith on AI, global turmoil, and key issues facing the tech giant at 50

We're live this week in the "Center of the Universe" in Seattle for a special recording of the GeekWire Podcast, presented by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce at Fremont Brewing Co.

Fresh off the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory, we debate some potential ownership groups for the Seahawks and Sonics — from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to Costco's Jim Sinegal. (Who wouldn't want $1.50 hot dogs and sodas at Lumen Field or Climate Pledge Arena?) 

Then we dig into the debate over Seattle's tech future, sparked by angel investor Charles Fitzgerald's GeekWire column, "A warning to Seattle: Don't become the next Cleveland," which led to a response and ultimately a great conversation with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.

Fremont Chamber Executive Director Pete Hanning joins us to talk about the neighborhood's tech corridor, why Fremont offices are seeing some of the highest return-to-office rates on the West Coast, and how the neighborhood balances its quirky identity with serious business.

In the final segment: Test your Seattle tech knowledge with our Fremont-themed tech trivia, plus audience Q&A, in which Todd comes clean about his relationship with Claude.

With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton.

We're live this week in the "Center of the Universe" in Seattle for a special recording of the GeekWire Podcast, presented by the <a href="https://fremont.com/">Fremont Chamber of Commerce</a> at <a href="https://www.fremontbrewing.com/">Fremont Brewing Co</a>.
Fresh off the Seahawks' Super Bowl victory, we debate some <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/when-the-seattle-seahawks-sell-will-any-tech-execs-step-up-for-the-12s/">potential ownership groups</a> for the Seahawks and Sonics &mdash; from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to Costco's Jim Sinegal. (Who wouldn't want $1.50 hot dogs and sodas at Lumen Field or Climate Pledge Arena?)&nbsp;
Then we dig into the debate over Seattle's tech future, sparked by angel investor Charles Fitzgerald's GeekWire <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/a-warning-to-seattle-dont-become-the-next-cleveland/">column</a>, "A warning to Seattle: Don't become the next Cleveland," which led to a response and ultimately a great <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/clevelands-mayor-seattles-future-a-conversation-about-what-happens-when-a-citys-economy-shifts/">conversation</a> with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.
Fremont Chamber Executive Director <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-hanning-1675a14/">Pete Hanning</a> joins us to talk about the neighborhood's tech corridor, why Fremont offices are seeing some of the highest return-to-office rates on the West Coast, and how the neighborhood balances its quirky identity with serious business.
In the final segment: Test your Seattle tech knowledge with our Fremont-themed tech trivia, plus audience Q&amp;A, in which Todd comes clean about his relationship with Claude.
With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Edited by Curt Milton.

GeekWire Podcast, Live from Fremont: Seahawks, AI, and Seattle's Future

GeekWire brought Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Seattle tech veteran Charles Fitzgerald together on the phone Thursday after a guest column warning Seattle not to repeat Cleveland's past mistakes sparked a big response — including from Bibb himself. What followed was a constructive conversation about what cities should do when the economic ground shifts beneath them. Plus: a Seattle-to-Cleveland trip may be in the works.

Related Links
A warning to Seattle: Don’t become the next Cleveland
Cleveland mayor responds to GeekWire guest column, calls Ohio city a ‘case study of what’s possible’
Mayor Bibb on LinkedIn: "For decades, national narratives have framed Cleveland as a cautionary tale. But that framing misses the bigger story."

Note: This is a special bonus episode. Our regular weekly show, recorded live Thursday night in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, will be out Saturday morning.

GeekWire brought Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Seattle tech veteran Charles Fitzgerald together on the phone Thursday after a guest column warning Seattle not to repeat Cleveland's past mistakes sparked a big response &mdash; including from Bibb himself. What followed was a constructive conversation about what cities should do when the economic ground shifts beneath them. Plus: a Seattle-to-Cleveland trip may be in the works.
Related Links
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/a-warning-to-seattle-dont-become-the-next-cleveland/">A warning to Seattle: Don&rsquo;t become the next Cleveland</a> <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/cleveland-mayor-responds-to-geekwire-guest-column-calls-ohio-city-a-case-study-of-whats-possible/">Cleveland mayor responds to GeekWire guest column, calls Ohio city a &lsquo;case study of what&rsquo;s possible&rsquo;</a></li>
<li>Mayor Bibb <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/justinbibb_a-warning-to-seattle-dont-become-the-next-activity-7427377738166071296-AVup/">on LinkedIn</a>: "For decades, national narratives have framed Cleveland as a cautionary tale. But that framing misses the bigger story."</li>
</ul>
Note: This is a special bonus episode. Our regular weekly show, recorded live Thursday night in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, will be out Saturday morning.

Cleveland's Mayor, Seattle's Future: What happens when a city's economy shifts

Upcoming GeekWire Podcast Live Event: Join us from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb 12 at Fremont Brewing for a live recording of the GeekWire Podcast with Todd Bishop and John Cook. Free for Fremont Chamber members, $15 otherwise. Register here.

This week on the show: Andy Jassy tells Wall Street that Amazon is planning $200 billion in capital expenses this year, mostly to build out AI infrastructure, and investors give it a thumbs down.

Microsoft's financial results beat expectations but the company loses $357 billion in market value in a single day after investors learn the extent of its dependence on OpenAI.

Meanwhile, OpenAI leases 10 floors of office space in Bellevue, lawmakers in Olympia propose new taxes impacting startup exits and high-income earners, and the bots get their own social network. 

In our featured conversation, recorded at a dinner hosted by Accenture in Bellevue, GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop sits down with computer scientist and entrepreneur Oren Etzioni to talk about AI agents, the startup landscape, the fight against deepfakes, and what good AI leadership looks like.

Etzioni is co-founder of AI agent startup Vercept, founder of the AI2 Incubator, a venture partner at Madrona, and the former founding CEO of the Allen Institute for AI.

Agents of Transformation: Check out the series and join us for the conference, presented by Accenture, March 24 in Seattle.

With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Edited by Curt Milton. Music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.

Upcoming GeekWire Podcast Live Event: Join us from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb 12 at Fremont Brewing for a live recording of the GeekWire Podcast with Todd Bishop and John Cook. Free for Fremont Chamber members, $15 otherwise. <a href="https://fremontchamberofcommercewa.growthzoneapp.com/events/Details/live-recording-the-geekwire-podcast-1626188?sourceTypeId=Hub">Register here</a>.
This week on the show: Andy Jassy tells Wall Street that Amazon is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/aws-growth-hits-3-year-high-custom-chips-top-10b-as-200b-capex-plan-rattles-investors/">planning $200 billion</a> in capital expenses this year, mostly to build out AI infrastructure, and investors give it a thumbs down.
Microsoft's financial results beat expectations but the company <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsofts-historic-plunge-why-the-company-lost-357-billion-in-value-despite-strong-results/">loses $357 billion in market value</a> in a single day after investors learn the extent of its dependence on OpenAI.
Meanwhile, OpenAI <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/openai-inks-huge-lease-in-bellevue-doubling-down-on-seattle-region-near-microsoft-and-amazon-hqs/">leases 10 floors of office space in Bellevue</a>, lawmakers in Olympia propose new taxes impacting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/seattle-startup-leaders-rally-against-new-capital-gains-tax-proposal/">startup exits</a> and <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/washingtons-millionaires-tax-targets-top-earners-as-tech-leaders-warn-of-startup-fallout/">high-income earners</a>, and the bots get their own social network.&nbsp;
In our featured conversation, recorded at a dinner hosted by Accenture in Bellevue, GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop sits down with computer scientist and entrepreneur <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenetzioni/">Oren Etzioni</a> to talk about AI agents, the startup landscape, the fight against deepfakes, and what good AI leadership looks like.
Etzioni is co-founder of AI agent startup <a href="https://vercept.com/">Vercept</a>, founder of the <a href="https://www.ai2incubator.com/">AI2 Incubator</a>, a venture partner at <a href="https://www.madrona.com/">Madrona</a>, and the former founding CEO of the Allen Institute for AI.
Agents of Transformation: Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/special-coverage/agents-of-transformation/">the series</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/events/agents-of-transformation/">&nbsp;join us for the conference</a>, presented by Accenture, March 24 in Seattle.
With GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop. Edited by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdmilton/">Curt Milton</a>. Music by <a href="https://www.daniellkcaldwell.com/">Daniel L.K. Caldwell</a>.

Microsoft President Brad Smith on AI, global turmoil, and key issues facing the tech giant at 50

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