Microsoft Research president on what’s next for AI | Crypto kiosk lawsuit

Potential perk of in-office work: Seattle startup Electric Era just launched its first electric vehicle charging station at a Costco site. Quincy Lee, the company’s CEO, said being able to bring Costco reps through its bustling workplace helped close the deal with the retail giant. Read more.

Google’s AI-focused venture fund for early stage startups invested in Seattle-based Cascade AI, which offers a virtual assistant powered by generative AI that companies use to answer HR-related questions from employees. Read more.

• Keep track of the latest startup investments in the Pacific Northwest with our funding list.

Crypto kiosk fight: Coinme, a Seattle-based startup that lets consumers buy and sell crypto with cash or a debit card, filed a lawsuit this month alleging that its longtime partner Coinstar misappropriated confidential information and trade secrets to launch a competing product. Read more.

Hot Links:

• Amazon is facing an array of challenges with its data center ambitions, including electricity and labor shortages. (Business Insider)

• Microsoft says it’s all but certain that foreign actors will try to stoke division and mistrust in vote security on and after Election Day. (Wired)

• Shares of T-Mobile reached an all-time high after the wireless carrier beat earnings estimates. (T-Mobile)

• Impinj beat Q3 expectations, with a 46% year-over-year growth in revenue, but its stock fell sharply on Thursday. (Impinj)

• Steve Ballmer’s Los Angeles Clippers played their first regular season game in the Intuit Dome, hailed as the most high-tech NBA arena. (ESPN)