Microsoft, OpenAI, and the AI opportunity for startups

“It is the most inspiring moment for new innovation that I've seen in more than a decade — maybe in multiple decades.”

• AI is creating a monumental opportunity for tech startups, says Neo CEO Ali Partovi, a tech investor and entrepreneur, on a new episode of the GeekWire Podcast. Neo’s accelerator this week announced a new AI track in collaboration with OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking to help a diverse group of founders capitalize on the opportunity.

• Partovi, an early Airbnb, Dropbox, and Facebook investor who interned at Microsoft and later sold a startup to the company, also reflects on the tech giant’s renaissance under his former manager, Satya Nadella.

• Listen here, or subscribe to GeekWire in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

A controversial capital gains tax is moving forward after a ruling from the Washington state Supreme Court.

• The tax, originally passed two years ago, sparked controversy within the tech industry because it targets stocks, a key part of compensation for many startup founders and their employees.

• Some tech leaders praised the court’s ruling. Others said it would drive business out of Washington state. Read our story. 

More electric vehicle charging stations are coming to Seattle.

• EV owners will have access to 31 new charging sites, part of a program that aims to help people who lack charging options and meet the city’s emission reduction goals. Read more. 

A new whitepaper from two Seattle organizations examines how tabletop roleplaying games can help children and teenagers develop social skills.

• Researchers found that games such as Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons can help boost social and emotional learning skills. Read more. 

Friends and family of the late Seattle artist Jon Strongbow gathered for a memorial panel earlier this month at Emerald City Comic Con to tell stories about one of the great eccentrics of the city’s art scene.

• Strongbow was a fixture of the Pike Place Market community in Seattle for more than 20 years. Much of his art is both a commentary on and chronicle of how Seattle has changed over time. Read more.