The Evolution of Tech Giants: Alexa’s Next Act, Microsoft’s Retail Play, and Google’s AI Inbox, Plus a Smart Bird Feeder Fail

This Week on the GeekWire Podcast: Exploring the Latest in Consumer AI

Amazon and Microsoft are at the forefront of the race to define the next era of consumer AI, each making significant strides in their respective endeavors.

We delve into Amazon’s ambitious project to enhance Alexa into a true generative AI home chatbot, unveiling a new web portal and updated Alexa app. Meanwhile, Microsoft is making its mark by introducing the Copilot Checkout feature aimed at captivating retailers.

Our discussion also extends to Google’s upcoming “AI Inbox” for Gmail, designed to function as an executive assistant for managing emails efficiently. Additionally, we recount our intriguing experience with a smart bird feeder experiment that resulted in capturing “fuzzy birds” due to an error in the focal length setting.

Furthermore, we share our initial encounter with AI automation on the Windows PC desktop through Vy, a cutting-edge technology from the Seattle startup Vercept.

In our quest for thought-provoking content, we recommend the Netflix documentary, Cover-Up, featuring the renowned investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. We ponder the possibilities of digitizing his extensive notes and subjecting them to an AI model for uncovering hidden insights.

Reflecting on recent events, we express our sorrow over the demise of a prominent American newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and fondly recall our appearance as GeekWire on its editorial page.

Don’t miss an episode of the GeekWire Podcast – Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred platform.

Join GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook as they bring you the latest tech insights. Podcast edited by Curt Milton.