Can the U.S. outpace China in AI? Microsoft offers a blueprint

AI as a creative partner: This week on the GeekWire Podcast, hear how a holiday experiment with the 1980s-era Boss DR-110, aka “Dr. Rhythm” (above) and a very amateur guitarist turned into a surprising AI-powered musical collaboration. Read more and listen here. 

Can the U.S. outpace China in the AI race? In a new blog post, Microsoft President Brad Smith calls for a thoughtful approach to government policy and a national strategy to secure U.S. leadership in AI. Read more.

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

• Jan. 8: Grant Writing Bootcamp

• Jan. 18: Fitness for Founders OneSixOne Ventures Hike

Check out the GeekWire Calendar for more.

Hot Links:

• The Washington Post’s cartoonist quit over the outlet’s refusal to publish a cartoon critical of Jeff Bezos. (The Guardian; Substack)

• Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman thinks AI’s ability to understand what you’re seeing will be a big breakthrough of 2025. (LinkedIn)

• Bench Accounting struggled to implement automation tools amid its surprising shutdown. (TechCrunch)

• Veteran primetime TV producer Dick Wolf makes his move into streaming with a new show on Amazon Prime Video. (New York Times)