<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This week on the GeekWire Podcast: &lt;/strong&gt;Microsoft soars past Wall Street expectations, briefly hitting a $4 trillion valuation, while Amazon faces sharper scrutiny over its AI strategy. Todd Bishop and John Cook break down the contrasting earnings results, analyst reactions, and what it all means for the future of AI &amp;mdash; and Seattle's place in it. Plus: insights from Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman on the future of Copilot, a throwback lesson from the Zune era, and a guestbook entry that shows just how mainstream ChatGPT has become.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Related stories and links&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-plans-record-30b-in-quarterly-capital-spending-to-meet-surging-ai-demand/"&gt;Microsoft plans record $30B in quarterly capital spending&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-cut-product-rd-jobs-added-operations-roles-over-the-past-year-new-filing-confirms/"&gt;Microsoft cut product R&amp;amp;D jobs, added operations roles over the past year&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-posts-strong-quarter-cites-broad-ai-and-cloud-growth-as-azure-revenue-tops-75b-annually/"&gt;Microsoft beats expectations, says Azure revenue tops $75B annually&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/internal-memo-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-urges-long-term-thinking-as-azure-hits-15-year-milestone/"&gt;Internal memo: Nadella urges long-term thinking as Azure marks 15 years&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-reaches-4-trillion-valuation-for-a-moment-at-least-after-big-earnings-report/"&gt;Microsoft reaches $4 trillion valuation after big earnings report&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-web-services-profits-squeezed-as-ai-arms-race-drives-spending-surge/"&gt;Amazon Web Services profits squeezed amid AI spending surge&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-tops-q2-estimates-with-167-7b-in-revenue-19-2b-in-profits-aws-up-17-to-30-9b/"&gt;Amazon tops Q2 estimates with $167.7B in revenue, $18.2B in profits&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/can-seattle-own-the-ai-era-we-asked-20-investors-and-founders-to-weigh-the-citys-startup-potential/"&gt;Can Seattle own the AI era? 20 investors and founders weigh the potential&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;From Startup to Exit: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://fromstartuptoexit.buzzsprout.com/2234096/episodes/17089848-microsoft-50-birth-of-xbox-with-chief-xbox-officer-robbie-bach"&gt;Microsoft@50: Birth of Xbox, with Chief Xbox Officer, Robbie Bach&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Colin &amp;amp; Samir Podcast &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oujg9iGznpDFM8SikMFgL"&gt;with Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tim Ferriss Podcast&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vPr7HMjGW8"&gt;with Expedia and Zillow co-founder Rich Barton&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/@timferriss"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener"&gt;omnystudio.com/listener&lt;/a&gt; for privacy information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

GeekWire

GeekWire

Is this 'peak AI'? Microsoft, Amazon, and a pivotal week for Seattle tech

AUG 2, 202538 MIN
GeekWire

Is this 'peak AI'? Microsoft, Amazon, and a pivotal week for Seattle tech

AUG 2, 202538 MIN

Description

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Microsoft soars past Wall Street expectations, briefly hitting a $4 trillion valuation, while Amazon faces sharper scrutiny over its AI strategy. Todd Bishop and John Cook break down the contrasting earnings results, analyst reactions, and what it all means for the future of AI — and Seattle's place in it. Plus: insights from Microsoft's Mustafa Suleyman on the future of Copilot, a throwback lesson from the Zune era, and a guestbook entry that shows just how mainstream ChatGPT has become. 

Related stories and links

From Startup to Exit: Microsoft@50: Birth of Xbox, with Chief Xbox Officer, Robbie Bach

Colin & Samir Podcast with Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman

Tim Ferriss Podcast with Expedia and Zillow co-founder Rich Barton

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.