Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
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 (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-confirms-14000-corporate-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 (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/filing-amazon-cuts-more-than-2300-jobs-in-washington-state-as-part-of-broader-layoffs/)
• Amazon layoffs hit software engineers hardest in Washington (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-layoffs-hit-software-engineers-hardest-in-washington/)
• Amazon layoffs reaction: ‘Thought I was a top performer but guess I’m expendable’ (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-layoffs-reaction-thought-i-was-a-top-performer-but-guess-im-expendable/)
• Amazon CEO says massive corporate layoffs were about agility — not AI or cost-cutting (geekwire.com/2025/its-culture-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 (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-stock-soars-11-after-topping-q3-estimates-with-180-2b-in-revenue-21-2b-in-profits/)
• Amazon’s Anthropic investment boosts its quarterly profits by $9.5B (geekwire.com/2025/amazons-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 (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/microsofts-azure-reports-cloud-outage-disrupting-customers-including-alaska-airlines/)
• Microsoft beats expectations, reports nearly $35B in Q1 capital spending amid Azure outage (geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-beats-expectations-reports-nearly-35b-in-q1-capital-spending-amid-azure-outage/)
• Microsoft gets 27% stake in OpenAI, and a $250B Azure commitment (geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-secures-27-stake-in-openai-in-new-deal-with-commitment-for-250b-in-azure-usage/)
Seattle-Portland-Vancouver
• Slowly but surely, high-speed rail backers believe Cascadia mega-project will become a reality (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/cascadias-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 (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/betas-unique-electric-airplane-flies-into-seattle-to-wow-state-officials-and-aviation-experts/)
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop
See omnystudio.com/listener (omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
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 (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-confirms-14000-corporate-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 (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/filing-amazon-cuts-more-than-2300-jobs-in-washington-state-as-part-of-broader-layoffs/)
• Amazon layoffs hit software engineers hardest in Washington (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-layoffs-hit-software-engineers-hardest-in-washington/)
• Amazon layoffs reaction: ‘Thought I was a top performer but guess I’m expendable’ (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-layoffs-reaction-thought-i-was-a-top-performer-but-guess-im-expendable/)
• Amazon CEO says massive corporate layoffs were about agility — not AI or cost-cutting (geekwire.com/2025/its-culture-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 (geekwire.com/2025/amazon-stock-soars-11-after-topping-q3-estimates-with-180-2b-in-revenue-21-2b-in-profits/)
• Amazon’s Anthropic investment boosts its quarterly profits by $9.5B (geekwire.com/2025/amazons-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 (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/microsofts-azure-reports-cloud-outage-disrupting-customers-including-alaska-airlines/)
• Microsoft beats expectations, reports nearly $35B in Q1 capital spending amid Azure outage (geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-beats-expectations-reports-nearly-35b-in-q1-capital-spending-amid-azure-outage/)
• Microsoft gets 27% stake in OpenAI, and a $250B Azure commitment (geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-secures-27-stake-in-openai-in-new-deal-with-commitment-for-250b-in-azure-usage/)
Seattle-Portland-Vancouver
• Slowly but surely, high-speed rail backers believe Cascadia mega-project will become a reality (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/cascadias-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 (geekwire.com/2025/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 (geekwire.com/2025/betas-unique-electric-airplane-flies-into-seattle-to-wow-state-officials-and-aviation-experts/)
With GeekWire co-founders John Cook and Todd Bishop
See omnystudio.com/listener (omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
