Why is Amazon laying off 14,000 people during a massive AI boom? Todd and John analyze the Seattle tech paradox, digging into Andy Jassy's 'startup' reasoning and debating whether the AI frenzy is a bubble. Then, they take on the Cascadia high-speed rail: a necessary connector or a misguided project?

Related headlines from the week

Amazon layoffs
Amazon confirms 14,000 job cuts, says push for ‘efficiency gains’ will continue into 2026
A tale of two Seattles in the age of AI: Harsh realities 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 hardest in Washington
Amazon layoffs reaction: ‘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 earnings
Amazon stock soars 11% after topping Q3 estimates with $180B in revenue, $21B in profits
Amazon’s Anthropic investment boosts its quarterly profits by $9.5B
‘Big Beautiful’ tax benefit: Amazon and other tech giants reap the rewards of new law, for now

Microsoft Azure, earnings and OpenAI
Microsoft’s Azure reports cloud outage, disrupting global customers including Alaska Airlines
Microsoft beats expectations, reports nearly $35B in Q1 capital spending amid Azure outage
Microsoft gets 27% stake in OpenAI, and a $250B Azure commitment

Seattle-Portland-Vancouver
Slowly but surely, high-speed rail backers believe Cascadia mega-project will become a reality
Cascadia’s AI paradox: A world-leading opportunity threatened by rising costs and a talent crunch
The ‘enormous barrier’ that threatens economic growth in the Pacific Northwest
Beta’s unique electric airplane flies into Seattle to wow state officials and aviation experts

With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop

Why is Amazon laying off 14,000 people during a massive AI boom? Todd and John analyze the Seattle tech paradox, digging into Andy Jassy's 'startup' reasoning and debating whether the AI frenzy is a bubble. Then, they take on the Cascadia high-speed rail: a necessary connector or a misguided project?
Related headlines from the week
Amazon layoffs
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-confirms-14000-corporate-job-cuts-says-push-for-efficiency-gains-will-continue-into-2026/">Amazon confirms 14,000 job cuts, says push for &lsquo;efficiency gains&rsquo; will continue into 2026</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/a-tale-of-two-seattles-in-the-age-of-ai-harsh-realities-and-new-hope-for-the-tech-community/">A tale of two Seattles in the age of AI: Harsh realities and new hope for the tech community</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/filing-amazon-cuts-more-than-2300-jobs-in-washington-state-as-part-of-broader-layoffs/">Filing: Amazon cuts more than 2,300 jobs in Washington state as part of broader layoffs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-layoffs-hit-software-engineers-hardest-in-washington/">Amazon layoffs hit software engineers hardest in Washington</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-layoffs-reaction-thought-i-was-a-top-performer-but-guess-im-expendable/">Amazon layoffs reaction: &lsquo;Thought I was a top performer but guess I&rsquo;m expendable&rsquo;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/its-culture-amazon-ceo-says-massive-corporate-layoffs-were-about-agility-not-ai-or-cost-cutting/">Amazon CEO says massive corporate layoffs were about agility &mdash; not AI or cost-cutting</a></li>
</ul>
Amazon earnings
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-stock-soars-11-after-topping-q3-estimates-with-180-2b-in-revenue-21-2b-in-profits/">Amazon stock soars 11% after topping Q3 estimates with $180B in revenue, $21B in profits</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazons-anthropic-investment-boosts-its-quarterly-profits-by-9-5b/">Amazon&rsquo;s Anthropic investment boosts its quarterly profits by $9.5B</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/big-beautiful-tax-benefit-amazon-and-other-tech-giants-reap-the-rewards-of-new-law-for-now/">&lsquo;Big Beautiful&rsquo; tax benefit: Amazon and other tech giants reap the rewards of new law, for now</a></li>
</ul>
Microsoft Azure, earnings and OpenAI
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsofts-azure-reports-cloud-outage-disrupting-customers-including-alaska-airlines/">Microsoft&rsquo;s Azure reports cloud outage, disrupting global customers including Alaska Airlines</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-beats-expectations-reports-nearly-35b-in-q1-capital-spending-amid-azure-outage/">Microsoft beats expectations, reports nearly $35B in Q1 capital spending amid Azure outage</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-secures-27-stake-in-openai-in-new-deal-with-commitment-for-250b-in-azure-usage/">Microsoft gets 27% stake in OpenAI, and a $250B Azure commitment</a></li>
</ul>
Seattle-Portland-Vancouver
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/slowly-but-surely-high-speed-rail-backers-believe-cascadia-mega-project-will-become-a-reality/">Slowly but surely, high-speed rail backers believe Cascadia mega-project will become a reality</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/cascadias-ai-paradox-a-world-leading-opportunity-threatened-by-rising-costs-and-a-talent-crunch/">Cascadia&rsquo;s AI paradox: A world-leading opportunity threatened by rising costs and a talent crunch</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/the-enormous-barrier-that-threatens-economic-growth-in-the-pacific-northwest/">The &lsquo;enormous barrier&rsquo; that threatens economic growth in the Pacific Northwest</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/betas-unique-electric-airplane-flies-into-seattle-to-wow-state-officials-and-aviation-experts/">Beta&rsquo;s unique electric airplane flies into Seattle to wow state officials and aviation experts</a></li>
</ul>
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and 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.

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