Allen Institute for AI brings new superpowers to image analysis | F5 layoffs

Does the Seattle Freeze hurt the startup ecosystem? | Self-driving wheelchairs at Sea-Tac Airport ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: Get your ticket for AWS re:Invent, happening Dec. 2–6 in Las Vegas: [Register now for AWS re:Invent.]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES A new multimodal AI model from the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2), dubbed Molmo, works with visual data in novel ways. Leaders of the Seattle-based AI nonprofit say the approach shows the power of an open approach to AI vs. closed models from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and others. We started by asking it to analyze the contents of our fridge. [Read more](. Is the “Seattle Freeze” hurting the city’s startup scene? Panelists at a WTIA event this week referenced Seattle’s long-dreaded social dynamic, and a “celebration of pessimism,” as one reason why tech founders may have a tough time getting started or attracting investment in the city. [Read more.]( - The reaction to that viewpoint and GeekWire’s story about it was a bit chilly over on LinkedIn, where several entrepreneurs and VCs weighed in about the Freeze, Seattle vs. Silicon Valley comparisons, and more. [Read more.]( Smartsheet can solicit other offers after announcing a $8.4 billion buyout deal this week, but analysts say the existing bid from Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners is likely to stand. The deal could be a bellwether for other private equity acquisitions in tech. [Read more](. F5 layoffs: The Seattle-based application delivery giant is laying off employees working for the company’s marketing-related content production team. [Read more](. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell wants to pull revenue from a controversial payroll tax on big businesses such as Amazon to help plug holes in the city’s budget. The tax, known as JumpStart, passed five years ago to pay for affordable housing, homeless services, economic development projects, and climate-related investments. Revenue from JumpStart has exceeded estimates. [Read more](. Group14 lawsuit: A judge dismissed a case brought by the battery startup, alleging that a competitor illegally used its proprietary information in patent applications and to land investments. “Nexeon has called Group14’s apparent bluff, and the moment has arrived for the Court to throw Group14’s hand into the muck,” the judge wrote in his ruling. [Read more](. Self-driving wheelchairs: Mobility challenged travelers at Sea-Tac International Airport have a high-tech new option for getting to their gates. [Read more](. Seattle-based Radian Aerospace isn't a billionaire-backed player in the launch industry, like Elon Musk's SpaceX or Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin. But the company is trying to do something bigger players haven't done — build a single-stage-to-orbit space plane — and they've just finished an initial round of ground taxi tests with a prototype plane. [Read more](. Submarine builder Karl Stanley was all smiles as he climbed into OceanGate's Titan sub for a deep-sea trip — but the noisy dive threw a scare into him, and foreshadowed the disaster to come. Plus: More tales from the Coast Guard hearing into last year's tragedy. [Read more](. Hot Links: - Google filed an antitrust complaint in the EU alleging that Microsoft uses unfair licensing contracts in its cloud computing business. ([CNBC]( - Meta is unveiling new hardware and AI features at its annual Connect conference. ([The Verge]( - LinkedIn released its annual Top Startups list — and three Seattle-area companies made it: health data platform Truveta, software product experimentation startup Statsig, and cybersecurity provider Chainguard. ([LinkedIn]( Thanks for subscribing to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire Editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Tech execs’ investment portfolios can be heavily leveraged in company stock.]( But volatility happens! We help our clients diversify into real estate, without active management. So they can get cash flow, diversification and stability—no matter what the stock market does. [Join our Deal List for hands-off real estate deals]( you won’t find anywhere else, straight to your inbox. LATEST HEADLINES [Big bang theory: Anomalies in the hull of Oceangate’s Titan sub identified by NTSB]( [Freeze! Comments about the social dynamic in Seattle’s startup scene draw a chilly response]( [Smartsheet acquisition: Competing bids unlikely; $8.4B deal could fuel other private equity buyouts]( [Allen Institute for AI’s new model points to items in images, aims to make bigger point in industry]( [Radian Aerospace completes its first round of ground testing for prototype space plane]( [Seattle mayor wants to tap more revenue from payroll tax on big business to plug budget holes]( [How the Seattle Freeze and ‘celebration of pessimism’ hurts the city’s startup scene]( [Submarine builder recounts how a trip in OceanGate’s Titan sub unnerved him]( [Self-driving wheelchairs at Sea-Tac Airport whisk mobility challenged travelers to their gates]( [F5 layoffs impact in-house content creation employees]( [In scathing ruling, judge dismisses Group14 lawsuit alleging battery trade secret violations]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [Gable.ai: Staff Software Engineer – Data]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? 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