Amazon, Microsoft, and cybersecurity in the age of AI

It was a big week for cybersecurity for Seattle's cloud giants, albeit in very different ways for each. This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we take a closer look at Amazon, Microsoft, the changing landscape for cyberattacks, and the growing role of generative AI in the field.

• Microsoft President Brad Smith was in Washington, D.C., testifying before the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee about Microsoft's security challenges.

• Amazon held its annual AWS re:Inforce cloud security conference in Philadelphia. Generative AI has added some big new wrinkles to cybersecurity, and that was the focus of our recent conversation with Steve Schmidt (above), Amazon's chief security officer.

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The University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public says it will continue its efforts to identify and communicate about emergent rumors during the 2024 election, amid reports that a similar program at Stanford University is dismantling. Read more.

Galvanic Games shutting down: The independent Seattle-based developer is behind video games such as Some Distant Memory, Rapture Rejects, and Wizard With a Gun. The closure adds to a long list of layoffs within the game industry. Read more.

Upcoming events: Tech and startup community gatherings on our radar next week in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

• June 15: Internet Safety Day at Seattle Center Armory

• June 15: Building and Scaling AI-driven Startups

• June 16: Power Shift Scrolling — How Public Opinion Forms in a Digital Age

• June 17: IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition 2024

• June 18: Filipino Founders and Funders Meetup

• June 18: GenAI Leaders Loft

• June 20: Capital One Café Summer Solstice Celebration

Check out the GeekWire Calendar for more.

Hot Links:

• DeepMind founder Mustafa Suleyman’s new role at Microsoft is adding another layer to the unique relationship between the tech giant and OpenAI. (Semafor)

• Amazon’s “frugal approach to healthcare” with its primary care service One Medical is under scrutiny. (Washington Post)

• Jeff Bezos is closely involved with The Washington Post as it navigates leadership challenges and tries to expand its audience. (New York Times)