Week in Review: The most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of May 3, 2026
They keep him up to date with the latest technology and startup news from the past week. Here are the most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of May 3, 2026.
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The most popular stories on GeekWire
Microsoft employees read the details of their voluntary retirement package: Here’s what the company is offering
Microsoft employees eligible for the company’s first-ever voluntary retirement plan learned details Thursday, including cash payments of up to nine months of base salary, up to five years of health care, and continued stock awards. … Read more
The Microsoft OpenClaw team is taking on the personal assistant challenge
A small team within Microsoft led by Corporate Vice President Omar Shahine is building “Project Lobster,” an OpenClaw-based agent designed to work around the clock on behalf of information workers within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. … Read more
Data centers at sea: Panthalassa raises $140M led by Peter Thiel for wave-powered AI
By combining giant floating generators with on-site AI computing hardware, Panthalassa turns the ocean into a self-sustaining computing powerhouse – all without requiring a single mile of underwater power cables. … Read more
Tech Moves: Amazon VP is now Chewy CTO; Smartsheet CFO names; Microsoft executive joins NetApp
Amazon VP Yunyan Wang is now Chewy’s CTO; Smartsheet Names New CFO; and a longtime Microsoft executive is joining NetApp’s C-suite, among other technology initiatives. … Read more
New Microsoft research finds AI ‘paradox’ holding companies back
Microsoft’s 2026 Work Trend Index finds that the biggest barrier to AI in the workplace isn’t the technology or the workforce — it’s the organizations around them. … Read more
Helion is betting big on the ‘Tiny Merge’ fusion testbed to meet Microsoft’s ambitious timeline
Beyond the big curtains inside its Everett, Wash., R&D facility, Helion is betting that a reduced testing environment can answer key technical questions as the company races to meet deadlines. … Read more
Perspective: The myth of Washington’s tax burden, by the numbers
Contrary to popular myth, our taxes are low, they have never skyrocketed, and they are nowhere near causing significant damage to the trade sector. … Read more
Amazon is turning its logistics empire into a new business, taking on UPS and FedEx for freight and shipping
Amazon has launched Amazon Supply Chain Services, bringing together warehousing, distribution, fulfillment, and parcel shipping into a single offering for any business. … Read more
Microsoft’s new Xbox flagship combines Gaming Copilot for mobile and console, shaking up the leadership
New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is shutting down Gaming Copilot on mobile and canceling its console launch, less than a year after Microsoft released the AI feature. … Read more
2026 GeekWire Awards revealed: The biggest winners — and the biggest Seattle love — at the annual tech celebration
More than 300 members of the Pacific Northwest tech scene packed Showbox SoDo to honor the year’s top startups, innovators, leaders and dealmakers in a dozen award categories. … Read more
