Blue Origin launch success | Cruise layoffs hit Seattle-area office

Bill Gates’ 2024 predictions | Washington AG proposes AI task force | Tech Moves ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: BOT or NOT? This special series explores the evolving relationship between humans and machines, examining the ways that robots, AI and automation are impacting our work and lives: [Read more.]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard rocket ship on its first suborbital trip to space in more than a year, boosting confidence that Jeff Bezos' venture will resume crewed flights in the new year. Tuesday’s mission from West Texas carried 33 science payloads in the crew capsule. [Read more.]( Cruise layoffs hit Bellevue office: The self-driving technology company is laying off 67 employees at its Seattle-area engineering hub, according to a new state filing, part of widespread cuts at the GM-backed firm. [Read more](. Attorney General Bob Ferguson is proposing legislation to create a bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Task Force in Washington state that would recommend principles for AI use, identify potential high-risk uses of AI, and raise other policy issues for state legislators to consider. [Read more](. Google will pay $700 million to Play Store users in Washington state and elsewhere as part of an antitrust lawsuit settlement. [Read more.]( Heads up, startup founders and small business owners: If your company has 20 or fewer full-time employees and gross annual sales of less than $5 million, there’s a new federal filing requirement that you need to know about. [Read more](. Tech Moves: Ex-Google leaders Frances Perry and Margaret Lawrence Rosas are joining Seattle startup MotherDuck; Pallavi Sinha lands at Humanly as vice president of growth; Tacoma Venture Fund hires Madin Akpo-Esambe; [and more key personnel changes](. Hot Links: - As Bill Gates looks ahead to 2024 and the future, AI figures heavily in his optimism about how innovation will fuel progress. ([Gates Notes]( - Amazon will not renew its lease for roughly 209,000 square feet in the 1800 Ninth tower in downtown Seattle, where it’s been since 2013. ([Puget Sound Business Journal]( - After a year of trying to lure people back to a post-pandemic downtown, some things are going right in Seattle and some still need fixing. ([Crosscut]( - Amazon product review summaries created by generative AI are exaggerating negative feedback or mischaracterizing products, according to some sellers. ([Bloomberg]( Thanks for [subscribing]( to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Yes, startups can afford health care!]( ALLtech helps growing technology companies recruit and retain top talent, with comprehensive, affordable health insurance and other employee benefits. Whether you have two employees or more than 100, we have a benefit plan to fit your needs. [Request a quote from ALLtech Benefits.]( LATEST HEADLINES [Google to pay Washington state Play Store users as part of $700M antitrust settlement]( [Launch success brings Blue Origin closer to resuming crewed suborbital space trips]( [Self-driving company Cruise will lay off 67 workers at Seattle-area engineering hub]( [Rules targeting financial criminals will require new filings for startups and small businesses]( [Blue Origin ramps up for second launch attempt after delaying return to spaceflight]( [Washington state AG Bob Ferguson proposes AI task force to assess and report on risks]( [Tech Moves: Google leaders join Seattle startup MotherDuck; Humanly adds a VP; and more]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [City of Redlands: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst]( - [INRIX: Lead Software Engineer, Big Data]( - [City of Redlands: Network Engineer]( - [City of Newport: Systems Administrator I or II]( - [City of Redlands: IT Security Analyst]( - [City of Newport: Systems Administrator I or II]( - [Submittable: Director of Engineering]( - [INRIX: Finance Pricing Manager]( - [INRIX: Lead Software Engineer]( [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](