Reality check on fusion fever | Zulily layoffs | Convoy CEO ‘heads down’ working on deal

Microsoft headcount plummets | Amazon earnings preview ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: Explore our immersive expo: [Meet and learn from hundreds of AWS Partners all in one place.]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES Good day, GeekWire readers. In today’s installment, we do some number-crunching on Microsoft’s latest jobs data, hear from Convoy’s CEO about a potential deal, and get a reality check on the fervor over fusion. Fusion energy could provide a nearly infinite source of carbon-free power and help save the planet from climate change. And six Pacific Northwest companies are in the mix, chasing the elusive energy source. But billions of dollars and many decades into the tech, the key question remains: is fusion over-frothed and under-delivering, or are these sound bets with big payoffs around the corner? [Read GeekWire’s reality check on fusion fever.]( Zulily makes more workforce cuts: The Seattle-based e-commerce company has gone through multiple rounds of layoffs over the past year and a half, including two since the sale to a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. CEO Terry Boyle is leaving at the end of the month. [Read more.]( Microsoft’s headcount dropped to 215,500 people as of Sept. 30, a decline of more than 16,000 from its peak of 232,000 at the end of the 2022 calendar year — significantly exceeding the 10,000 job cuts announced by the company in January, [GeekWire’s calculations show](. - The cuts are part of a broader effort to keep costs in check as Microsoft looks for a new wave of growth from the cloud and artificial intelligence. Operating expenses rose just 1%, to $13.3 billion, in its quarterly report Tuesday. - For the quarter, the company reported profits of $22.3 billion, up 27%, on revenue of $56.5 billion, surpassing Wall Street’s expectations by both measures. [Read more](. Convoy CEO Dan Lewis said he’s “heads down working on a deal” for the company’s tech and some employees, a week after the abrupt shutdown of the Seattle trucking marketplace. [Read more.]( Amazon earnings preview: Investors will be paying close attention to Amazon’s cloud business growth and any updates to the company’s AI strategy on Thursday after the release of its third quarter earnings report. [Read more](. Hot Links: - Amazon is considering offering veterinary telehealth in a bid to compete with Walmart and invest more heavily in the $137 billion pet market. ([CNBC]( - Washington-based Coastal Community Bank finds itself in the middle of a fintech reckoning. ([The Information]( - Redfin is changing the way it pays agents in San Francisco and Los Angeles, moving to a more typical commission structure. ([Real Estate News]( - As Microsoft Word turns 40, the influence of the software has been pervasive across the way we write, work and communicate. ([BBC]( Thanks for [subscribing]( to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [The true promise of cloud, with ease, not cost.]( Whatever your cloud challenges are, DoiT can help. Combining intelligent software with expert consultancy and unlimited support, DoiT delivers the true promise of the cloud with ease, not cost. Their Google Cloud Growth Accelerator Program solely for cloud customers can amplify growth and optimize cloud investment, allowing you to focus on rapidly growing your business. Learn more at [doit.com/geekwire](. LATEST HEADLINES [New numbers show Microsoft cut more than 16,000 jobs in nine months]( [Convoy CEO says he’s ‘heads down’ working on a deal following shutdown]( [Fusion fever: A reality check on the multibillion-dollar race to reinvent energy and save the planet]( [Amazon earnings preview: AWS growth and AI strategy in the spotlight]( [AI product recommendation startup wants to become the ‘starting point for shopping online’]( [More layoffs hit Zulily in latest cuts at online retailer]( [Microsoft tops expectations as tech giant looks to AI to fuel growth]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [INRIX: Product Marketing Manager, Public Sector]( - [Seattle Sounders FC: Director of Lifecycle Marketing]( - [City of Portland Water Bureau: Technology Manager]( - [GeekWork: Senior Backend Engineer]( - [City of Redlands: IT Systems Supervisor]( - [City of Redlands: Network Engineer]( - [NTTA- North Texas Tollway Authority: Sr ETL & Data Modeling Developer]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2023 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](