How Amazon’s new office mandate will impact Seattle traffic | Smartsheet COO resigns

Amazon’s call to bring workers back to the office five days per week will further pump the brakes on Seattle’s already rough commute times, according to traffic data analysis company Inrix. Amazon’s three-day mandate in 2023 had a significant effect on slowing the flow on major Seattle-area commute routes. Inrix expects more of the same come January. Read more. 

Smartsheet COO resigns: Stephen Branstetter is leaving the enterprise software giant as it reportedly nears an acquisition deal with private equity firms. Read more.

Video views from the search for OceanGate’s Titan submersible show mangled components from the craft — and tell the tale of last year’s dramatic implosion, which led to the loss of the sub and its five-person crew. Read more.

To pay, or not to pay: The Port of Seattle is dealing with a common conundrum facing victims of a ransomware attack: whether or not to pay hackers millions of dollars to recover stolen data. The Port said it’s refusing to pay a ransomware group responsible for breaching its systems last month. Read more.

Amazon sellers are getting an AI assistant, too. Alexa and Rufus, meet Amelia. That's the code name for a new AI assistant from Amazon that will help sellers navigate the nuances of its e-commerce marketplace, using generative artificial intelligence to answer questions, provide guidance, and someday take action on their behalf. Read more.

• Speaking of Rufus, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant just expanded to all U.S. customers on desktop computers, in addition to the Amazon shopping app. (LinkedIn)

Meet Grasshopper: The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is using a marine robot built by San Francisco startup Reefgen to help with an eelgrass restoration effort. The company uses a game controller to maneuver the robot, which can insert shoots of eelgrass into sediment. GeekWire reporter Lisa Stiffler ventured out on the shores of Joemma Beach State Park to get a behind-the-scenes look at how it all works. Read more.

Zulily lawsuit: Former employees at the e-commerce company filed a class action lawsuit this week alleging that they did not receive adequate advance notice or pay related to widespread layoffs last year. Read more.

Hot Links:

• T-Mobile inked a deal with OpenAI to analyze data on customer interactions and automate customer service requests. (Wall Street Journal)

• Microsoft is partnering with defense tech giant Anduril on new combat goggles for the US Army. (Bloomberg)

• Astra Lumina, the light and sound experience that lit up Seattle Chinese Garden last year, is returning for a second run. (Astra Lumina) 

• Seattle VC firm Maveron led an $18 million funding round for Rebelstork, a startup that offers a resale marketplace for returned baby gear. (LinkedIn)

• Seattle venture capitalist Leslie Feinzaig said she’s lost investors in her fund after launching “VCs for Kamala.” (Fortune)