Amazon tests humanoid warehouse robots | Convoy hit with class action lawsuit

How an AI startup journey took a different turn | Tech Moves 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 morning! Microsoft’s longtime marketing leader is leaving, Convoy is accused of violating a worker protection law, Amazon’s quarterly earnings are due, and a Seattle entrepreneur shares how his startup plan changed course. But first, meet “Digit,” the humanoid robot co-worker destined for Amazon warehouses. Are you ready for a robot co-worker? Amazon warehouse employees are getting a glimpse of their possible future colleague in the form of “Digit,” a bipedal humanoid robot from Agility Robotics. Amazon, an existing investor in the Corvalis, Ore.-based company, is testing Digit’s ability to consolidate empty totes under an expanded partnership. We saw Digit in action and sat down with Agility’s CEO to better understand what this means for the future of work. [Read more and watch a video of two Digit robots at work](. After 32 years at Microsoft, Chris Capossela, the company’s chief marketing officer, is headed for the exit. He’ll be replaced in the role by another longtime marketing leader, Takeshi Numoto, according to a memo to employees from CEO Satya Nadella. [Read more](. - More Tech Moves: [Xbox exec shuffle; Outreach hires president; UW grad students win Google fellowships.]( Convoy hit with class action lawsuit: The Seattle-based trucking marketplace startup is already facing legal trouble, less than a week after its sudden shutdown. [Read more](. Amazon reports earnings this afternoon: Cloud business growth, AI strategy, and more [are in the spotlight for the company’s quarterly results](. Check back on GeekWire later Thursday for coverage. Adventures in AI and startups: Earlier this year [on the GeekWire Podcast]( we spoke with Kirill Zubovsky, a serial entrepreneur with ties to the Seattle region, about his efforts to use AI to make a mark in domain names. [It didn’t turn out as he planned](. Startup funding news: Neon, a blockchain gaming startup that spun out of HBO, [announced a $20 million round](. Direqt, which makes AI chatbots for online publishers, [raised $4.5 million](. Fusion fever: We do a reality check on the fervor over the nuclear fusion sector, which is attracting massive investment and interest but has huge hurdles to overcome. [Read our report](. Hot Links: - Microsoft shut down Project Airsim, an AI-based drone simulation software that was part of the company’s vision for the “industrial metaverse.” ([Insider]( - Newspaper owner Jeff Bezos sent an email to The Washington Post newsroom letting staffers know he is impressed by their reporting, is committed to the future of the Post, and that it’s important to return to profitability. ([X]( 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 [Tech Moves: Xbox exec shuffle; Outreach hires president; UW grad students win Google fellowships]( [Tech vets, NFL legend Dan Marino invest in Seattle chatbot startup Direqt]( [Blockchain-based developer Neon raises more cash for its Web3 game ‘Shrapnel’]( [Microsoft CMO Chris Capossela is leaving after 32 years, replaced by veteran exec Takeshi Numoto]( [Convoy hit with class action lawsuit alleging violation of WARN Act]( [Getting to know ‘Digit,’ the humanoid robot that Amazon just started testing for warehouse work]( [Turning a setback into an acquisition: One founder’s AI startup journey]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [INRIX: Product Marketing Manager, Public Sector]( - [City of Portland Water Bureau: Technology Manager]( - [City of Redlands: Network Engineer]( - [GeekWork: Senior Backend Engineer]( - [City of Redlands: IT Systems Supervisor]( - [Seattle Sounders FC: Director of Lifecycle Marketing]( - [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](