It has been a wild few weeks and eventful few months in AI: DeepSeek, OpenAI, Stargate, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Salesforce, Google, Elon Musk, and more.

In all of this, there's a heightened focus on what it takes to train AI models and the importance of open-source AI. This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we get insights from Ali Farhadi, CEO of the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2), the Seattle-based nonprofit that has been innovating in open-source AI since long before it was popular.

"If the U.S. wants to maintain its edge ... we have only one way, and that is to promote open approaches, promote open-source solutions," Farhadi says, reflecting on the past few months. "Because no matter how many dollars you're investing in an ecosystem, without communal, global efforts, you're not going to be as fast." 

Related Coverage and Links: 
Allen Institute for AI's new open-source iOS AI app runs on-device for secure, private, offline use
Allen Institute for AI challenges DeepSeek on key benchmarks with big new open-source AI model
Allen Institute for AI’s new model points to items in images, aims to make bigger point in industry
New York Times: An Industry Insider Drives an Open Alternative to Big Tech’s A.I.
Ken Yeung, "The AI Economy" newsletter: Ai2: The AI House That Paul Allen Built
Ai2 Blog: OLMoE, meet iOS

Hosted by GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop

It has been a wild few weeks and eventful few months in AI:&nbsp;DeepSeek, OpenAI, Stargate, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Salesforce, Google, Elon Musk, and more.
In all of this, there's a heightened focus on what it takes to train AI models and the importance of open-source AI. This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we get insights from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-farhadi-098430b1">Ali Farhadi</a>, CEO of the&nbsp;<a href="https://allenai.org/">Allen Institute for AI (Ai2)</a>, the Seattle-based nonprofit that has been innovating in open-source AI since long before it was popular.
"If the U.S. wants to maintain its edge ... we have only one way, and that is to promote open approaches, promote open-source solutions," Farhadi says, reflecting on the past few months. "Because no matter how many dollars you're investing in an ecosystem, without communal, global efforts, you're not going to be as fast."&nbsp;
Related Coverage and Links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/allen-institute-for-ais-new-open-source-ai-app-for-ios-runs-on-device-for-secure-private-offline-use/">Allen Institute for AI's new open-source iOS AI app runs on-device for secure, private, offline use</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/allen-institute-for-ai-challenges-deepseek-on-key-benchmarks-with-big-new-open-source-ai-model/">Allen Institute for AI challenges DeepSeek on key benchmarks with big new open-source AI model</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2024/allen-institute-for-ais-new-model-points-to-items-in-images-aims-to-make-a-bigger-point-in-the-industry/">Allen Institute for AI&rsquo;s new model points to items in images, aims to make bigger point in industry</a></li>
<li>New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/technology/allen-institute-open-source-ai.html">An Industry Insider Drives an Open Alternative to Big Tech&rsquo;s A.I.</a></li>
<li>Ken Yeung, "The AI Economy" newsletter: Ai2: <a href="https://thelettertwo.com/2024/11/15/ai-economy-meet-ai2-the-ai-research-lab/">The AI House That Paul Allen Built</a></li>
<li>Ai2 Blog: <a href="https://allenai.org/blog/olmoe-app">OLMoE, meet iOS</a></li>
</ul>
Hosted by 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

'Open source will win': Allen Institute for AI CEO Ali Farhadi on the new era of artificial intelligence

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.

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.

'Open source will win': Allen Institute for AI CEO Ali Farhadi on the new era of artificial intelligence

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