GeekWire's Most-Read Stories of the Week

Catch up on the top tech stories from this past week. Here are the headlines that people have been reading on GeekWire. ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: Get your ticket for AWS re:Invent, happening Dec. 2–6 in Las Vegas: [Register now for AWS re:Invent.]( THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES [Amazon ‘will return to being in the office the way we were’ before the pandemic, CEO tells employees]( Amazon's new policy, starting next year, means that employees will no longer be able to work from home for two days a week by default. [A ‘home run’ or a ‘cowardly’ decision? Amazon’s new in-person work policy elicits cheers and jeers]( Some Amazon employees may not be happy, but January can’t come soon enough for many of the Seattle organizations and businesses that have been lobbying the company to return to five days a week of in-person work. [‘All good here’: Hearing on OceanGate sub tragedy reveals the crew’s final messages]( The last words transmitted by the crew on OceanGate's Titan submersible came to light during public hearings held by the Coast Guard. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Does Compute: Available now.]( Does Compute, presented by Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science and GeekWire Studios, is a podcast exploring the ways that computer science is reshaping our world through building useful stuff that works. Check out Episode 4 of Does Compute to hear from Carnegie Mellon University alum Priya Donti as she discusses how artificial intelligence and machine learning impact efforts to address climate change. [Watch now.]( [Coast Guard releases videos that show the shattered remains of OceanGate Titan sub]( Video views from the search for OceanGate's Titan submersible show mangled components that tell the tale of last year's dramatic implosion, [Amazon’s new back-to-office mandate fuels debate over remote work and productivity]( In his memo sent Monday notifying corporate workers about returning to the office five days per week, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy touted advantages of working in-person, citing the ability to learn, collaborate, brainstorm, and connect with colleagues more effectively. [Microsoft will make 50 grants of $50k each in Washington state for its 50th anniversary]( Microsoft is rolling out a “50 for 50” program to mark its own 50th anniversary. [‘The way we were’: Amazon tries to rekindle its future by rediscovering a spark from the past]( Amazon went through a one-way door against its will. Now it wants to go back. And the future of the company is at stake. [Smartsheet COO Stephen Branstetter resigns amid reported acquisition talks]( Stephen Branstetter, the chief operating officer at Smartsheet who joined the company in 2013, resigned on Wednesday, according to a new regulatory filing. [Amazon’s full return to the office will further slow Seattle’s already tough commute]( Love it or hate it, remote work was good for Seattle’s traffic problem. [Thoughts on Amazon’s full return to the office from a CEO who knows the value — and the trade-offs]( As a former big-tech exec who’s now running a startup, Vijaye Raji understands Andy Jassy’s desire to have employees in the office five days a week as a general rule. [Why the former Tableau CEO just joined the board of a Zurich-based AI data analytics startup]( Seattle-based technology investor and business leader Mark Nelson, the former Tableau CEO, has joined the board of Veezoo, a company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, that specializes in self-serve, AI-powered data analytics. [Netflix series explores Bill Gates’ views on pressing issues of the future, from AI to climate change]( Bill Gates’ desire to find solutions for some of humanity’s most pressing problems is the focus of a new Netflix series premiering today called “What’s Next? [Tech Moves: Fortive SVP joins Microsoft; Pictory hires CMO; Starbucks exec retires]( Kirsten Paust, a longtime leader at publicly traded manufacturing giant Fortive, took a new job at Microsoft as a corporate vice president focusing on continuous improvement. [Port of Seattle’s refusal to pay bitcoin ransom highlights cybersecurity dilemma]( The Port of Seattle is dealing with a common conundrum facing victims of a ransomware attack: to pay, or not to pay. [Amazon to offer free Prime benefits to U.S. hourly warehouse workers starting next year]( Amazon will offer free Prime benefits to U.S. hourly fulfillment workers starting next year. Will other employees be next? GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [Gable.ai: Staff Software Engineer – Data]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2024 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted to receive emails from GeekWire LLC.  Our mailing address is: GeekWire LLC 123 NW 36th St, Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98107  [change email frequency or address]( | [unsubscribe](