GeekWire Awards: AI makes its mark in ‘Innovation of the Year’ | Capital gains tax in Seattle?

If there’s any doubt that 2023 is the Year of Artificial Intelligence, the finalists for Innovation of the Year at the GeekWire Awards should put it to rest. Novel and clever inventions and implementations of AI, robotics, automation, and productivity are the common thread among the five finalists: Ghostwriter, Overland AI, Proprio, Temporal, and Yoodli. Cast your vote here. 

A new robotics startup out of Seattle emerged from stealth mode. Roboto, led by former Amazon drone engineers, announced a $4.8 million seed round and revealed its AI-powered software built to help robotics developers save time.

In other robotics news, a new group called Northwest Robotics Alliance aims to promote the creation of robotics startups in the Pacific Northwest. Read more. 

A controversial capital gains tax got a legal green light by Washington state’s Supreme Court last month. Seattle is now evaluating potential implementation of its own such tax.

CTFusion has flipped off the reactor. The fusion spinoff from the University of Washington recently shut down, and three of its four co-founders landed at former rival Zap Energy. 

Hot links:

• Bill Gates emailed himself: In 2008, the Microsoft co-founder made a list of science books he wanted to read to help in his work at the Gates Foundation. (GatesNotes)

• Tech internship gauntlet: Lower-income students and those at less-prestigious colleges describe the process of applying for coveted tech roles as “brutal,” “unfair” or “disheartening.” (The New York Times)