Inside a Microsoft alumni reunion in Redmond | Meet Seattle’s 'Climate Papa'

Happy Friday! Redfin’s CEO warned Sam Altman about using AI in real estate search, a Seattle tech dad is the “Climate Papa,” and we rate the AI believability in the new film “The Creator.” First, we go inside a big Microsoft reunion.

Hundreds of Microsoft alumni gathered in Redmond for a business and tech event that doubled as a reunion. While the mood was light, the subjects at the Microsoft Alumni Network‘s global conference were serious, with sessions designed to help attendees navigate the worlds of entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and the coming wave of artificial intelligence. Microsoft will turn 50 in less than two years, and attendees spanned many of the company’s decades. Above, Ali Spain, the Microsoft Alumni Network’s outgoing executive director, opens the conference in Redmond on Thursday morning. Check out highlights from the event. 

“You should be careful about housing.” That’s what Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman said during a brief encounter with Sam Altman, warning the OpenAI CEO to tread lightly when it comes to infusing artificial intelligence into real estate search. Read more.

Microsoft explored sale of Bing to Apple: Bloomberg reported that the tech giants discussed the idea, to replace Google as the default search engine on iPhones and other devices. Read more.

Meet Seattle’s “Climate Papa”: Ben Eidelson (left, with his wife, Anna Shwab Eidelson, and their 5 1/2 -year-old daughter and 2 1/2 year-old-son) was haunted by the threat of global warming, and the vision of his young daughter growing into a teen who would ask him what he had done to combat the climate crisis.

• The engineer quit his tech job, purchased a web domain, began investing in and advising climate tech startups, and published a step-by-step guide encouraging other software engineers to seek out climate endeavors that needed their skills. 

• In June, he launched the Climate Papa podcast. Now he’s raising money for Stepchange, a climate tech venture fund. Read more.

Get an AI reality check on “The Creator”: How close does the latest robo-doomsday movie come to the truth about AI’s promise and peril? GeekWire assembled a panel of critics to assess the film’s believability and entertainment level. Read more and listen to the podcast.

Tech Moves: Seattle tech vet Diego Oppenheimer joins AI startup; Rippl, Tasso, and Lexion hire execs; and more key personnel changes.

Tony Robbins backs Seattle-area healthcare startup: NorthStar Care raised $6 million to boost its telehealth program to help individuals facing alcohol and opioid use disorders. Read more.

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