Tech leaders bullish about generative AI amid the hype | Amazon donates $9M to homelessness efforts

The hype around generative AI is persisting even though it’s still not totally clear how the technology shift will impact companies and their bottom line. That was one takeaway from a recent event hosted by Harvard Business School Club of Seattle.

• "We don’t want to be left behind,” said Expedia CTO Rathi Murthy (above, left). “We want to get a foot in there, learn, set ourselves up, build a culture — so we’re ready for that tsunami when it comes to grow.”

• "When crypto came out, I was more concerned that there was a little bit more hype than substance,” said Remitly CEO Matt Oppenheimer (second from left). “With AI, I feel very differently. There are so many logical connections and problems that AI can solve.”

• Other panelists included longtime product exec Dave Cotter (second from right) and Pioneer Square Labs’ Anthony Diamond. Read the story. 

USPTO denies OpenAI trademark for “ChatGPT” and “GPT”: If it stands, the decision from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will prevent OpenAI from defending its exclusive use of the phrases, opening them up to widespread adoption as common terms across the industry. Read more.

• Related: OpenAI on Thursday released "Sora," its video generation model that creates videos from word prompts. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called it a “remarkable moment."

Amazon is donating $9 million to six organizations in the Seattle area that are working to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Read more.

Connect with leaders through a GeekWire event: Award ceremonies. Rooftop BBQs. Half-day Summits. And custom VIP events. GeekWire’s slate of 2024 events will help your company connect with key business leaders, drive sales, develop thought leadership and boost brand recognition. Learn more about sponsoring one of the GeekWire events by contacting our team at events@geekwire.com.

Hot Links:

• Seattle venture capital firms Ascend and Flying Fish invested in a $16 million round for Clarity, a startup developing tech to fight deepfakes. (TechCrunch)

• Shares of Seattle-based Adaptive Biotechnologies fell after the company reported a $69.4 million loss in the fourth quarter. (Adaptive)

• OpenAI is reportedly working on a new web search product, partly powered by Microsoft Bing, that would amp up competition with Google. (The Information)

• Microsoft will host its annual developer conference in Seattle from May 21-23. Expect a ton of AI-related announcements and updates. (The Verge)

Thanks for subscribing to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great day. — GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; and reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com.