Week in Review: Most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of July 13, 2025
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Most popular stories on GeekWire
Amazon targets vibe-coding chaos with new 'Kiro' AI software development tool
A new AI coding tool from Amazon uses agents to automatically create and update project plans and technical blueprints, aiming to solve an increasingly common business headache: undocumented AI-written software that becomes difficult or impossible to maintain. … Read More
Amazon cuts hundreds of AWS cloud jobs after strategic review, says AI wasn't the main factor
Amazon confirmed Thursday morning that it's cutting jobs within its Amazon Web Services cloud division after a review of its organization and strategic needs. The company didn't disclose the number of people impacted, but Reuters reported that the layoffs will affect hundreds of jobs, at least, citing two unnamed sources. … Read More
Meta snags Seattle startup co-founder for Zuckerberg's elite superintelligence team
Meta has recruited Matt Deitke, co-founder of Seattle-based AI startup Vercept, to join its newly formed Superintelligence Lab — the high-profile effort by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to develop powerful new forms of artificial intelligence. … Read More
Startup radar: Seattle founders tackle big problems, from childcare to cybersecurity
Our latest startup radar spotlight features a fascinating mix of first-time and repeat founders building off their experience at companies such as Amazon and Box as they pursue ideas in childcare, video metadata, social work, cybersecurity, and local business support. … Read More
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Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Retailers Are All-In on AI - But Disconnected Data Threatens Progress
New Amperity report finds that while 45% of retailers use AI weekly, only 11% are prepared to scale it; CDPs are the clear differentiator SEATTLE, July 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amperity, the leading AI-powered customer data cloud, today released its 2025 State of AI in Retail report, a new survey highlighting how retail businesses are rapidly embracing AI, but often lack the foundational data infrastructure needed to unlock its full potential. The survey of 1,000 retail professionals across marketing, IT, data and executive leadership reveals that 45% of retailers are already using AI daily or several times per week, and 97% plan to maintain or increase their AI investment in the coming year. However, only 11% say they're fully prepared to deploy AI tools at scale. "Retailers believe in AI's potential to drive loyalty and lifetime value — but belief alone won't close the gap between ambition and execution," said Tony Owens, CEO of Amperity. "What's needed is unified, actionable customer data - regardless of where it resides. With Amperity's patented identity resolution, retailers can unify data without moving it, transforming fragmented records into complete customer profiles that fuel AI and measurable business results." Customer-Facing AI: The Missed Opportunity While 63% of retailers believe AI will improve customer loyalty and 65% expect it to increase customer lifetime value, only 43% are currently using AI in customer-facing applications such as personalization, chatbots or tailored marketing experiences. In fact, just 23% are using AI in production to resolve customer identities or prepare data for marketing use, indicating significant untapped potential in customer engagement strategies. CDPs Are Accelerating AI Maturity Retailers with a customer data cloud (CDC) aren't just slightly ahead - they're moving at a different pace entirely: 60% of CDP-equipped retailers use AI daily or several times per week (vs. 29% without a CDP) 35% use AI in production to prepare data for marketing or analytics (vs. 9% without a CDP) 22% report full AI adoption across multiple business units (vs. 10%) These retailers are also far more confident in their ability to understand and act on customer behavior, reinforcing the CDP's role as a critical enabler of enterprise AI strategy. "This survey highlights a pivotal shift in retail: AI is moving decisively from experimentation to scaled execution. Retailers are leveraging AI to deliver more adaptive, personalized customer experiences powered by high-quality, unified customer data," said Tapan Patel, research director at IDC. "Retailers who integrate AI into core workflows—across supply chain, merchandising, and engagement—are setting the new standards for customer experience in an increasingly dynamic market." Data Gaps and Technical Barriers Persist Despite high levels of optimism, the report reveals several key barriers: 58% of respondents say their customer data is fragmented or incomplete 46% cite high costs of AI tools as a top challenge 35% note limited technical expertise Only 21% are "very confident" in their ability to understand and act on customer data. Amperity helps retailers close the gap between AI ambition and execution. By unifying fragmented customer data, resolving identities with precision, and making insights accessible across the business, Amperity gives retailers the AI-ready foundation they need to move faster and compete smarter. Built for enterprise scale and privacy-conscious activation, Amperity's Customer Data Cloud turns data into a growth engine—powering personalized experiences, smarter decisions, and measurable ROI. Get the full 2025 State of AI in Retail report to learn how leading retailers are using customer data to close the gap between AI potential and business results. About Amperity Amperity's Customer Data Cloud empowers brands to transform raw customer data into strategic business assets with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Through AI-powered identity resolution, customizable data models, and intelligent automation, Amperity helps technologists eliminate data bottlenecks and accelerate business impact. More than 400 leading brands worldwide, including Virgin Atlantic, Dr Martens, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Reckitt rely on Amperity to drive customer insights and revenue growth. Founded in 2016, Amperity operates globally with offices in Seattle, New York City, London, and Melbourne. For more information, visit or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. View source version on Contacts Press Contact Andrea Mochermanpress@ +1 (206) 432-8302 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ford CEO Found Young People Didn't Want to Work There Because $17 Wages Left Them 'So Stressed' - Then He Made An Expensive Change 'The Country Needs'
Turns out, a $17-an-hour paycheck doesn't go as far as it used to—especially if you're young, exhausted, and juggling two jobs just to survive. Ford (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley heard this loud and clear from his own factory floors. And instead of shrugging it off or blaming "kids these days," he made a move that echoed the bold playbook of Henry Ford himself—one that he says America desperately needs more of. In a June interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival with Walter Isaacson—the renowned biographer best known for his books on Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, and Elon Musk—Farley peeled back the curtain on what younger workers were really telling him about life on a $17 wage. Don't Miss: 7,000+ investors have joined Timeplast's mission to eliminate microplastics—now it's your turn to $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. "The older workers who'd been at the company said, 'None of the young people want to work here. Jim, you pay $17 an hour, and they are so stressed,'" Farley recalled. "They've got to work at Amazon for eight hours, then they come over to Ford for seven hours, and then they sleep for three or four hours—and then they go back. And they're barely getting by." Rather than issue a tone-deaf memo or wait for another generation to settle for less, Farley made a decisive, expensive change: he converted every temporary worker into a full-time employee. "It wasn't easy to do," he admitted. "It was expensive. But I think that's the kind of changes we need to make in our country." Farley's move isn't just about better paychecks—it's about reviving an old-school idea that once turned Ford into a powerhouse: when you pay workers well, they can afford the products they help build. Trending: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can Quoting the legendary Henry Ford, Farley said, "'I'm doing this because I want my factory worker to buy my cars. If they make enough money, they'll buy my own product.'" Then he added, "It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, in a way." In 1914, Henry Ford famously raised factory wages to $5 a day—nearly double the going rate. It wasn't a random act of generosity. It was a smart bet that higher wages would lead to a more stable, productive workforce and—bonus—more people who could afford to drive off in a Model T. According to Farley, it worked then, and it can work now. He also pointed to deeper structural issues. For Farley, the wage issue is just one layer of a bigger challenge: the U.S. hasn't kept up in preparing young people for careers in skilled trades. "Our governments have to get really serious about investing in trade schools and skilled trades," Farley said. "You go to Germany—every one of our factory workers has an apprentice starting in junior high school. Every one of those jobs has a person behind it for eight years that is trained."Farley's big bet may not please Wall Street, but it's not aimed at them. "We decided as a company that a cooler problem than full autonomy in an urban setting was high-speed, eyes-off driving on highways—push a button, read a book," he told Isaacson, in reference to how Ford picks its battles. When it comes to labor, he's taking that same eyes-on-the-road approach—focusing on people, not just profits. And while turning temps into full-timers might not boost short-term stock prices, Farley's betting on a longer game: one where the people building America's cars can actually afford to drive them. Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? FORD MOTOR (F): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Ford CEO Found Young People Didn't Want to Work There Because $17 Wages Left Them 'So Stressed' - Then He Made An Expensive Change 'The Country Needs' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Gizmodo
28 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
China's Newest Pair of Smart Glasses Are Meta's Biggest Threat Yet
It's official: Alibaba is entering the smart glasses game. After rumors that percolated late last week, Alibaba unveiled its official plans to put out frames that look awfully similar to Meta's Ray-Bans, but with a few key advantages that could help them blow way past U.S. competition. The smart glasses, called Quark AI, are actually a lot more similar to Meta's Ray-Bans than I expected. For one, they do not feature a display of any kind and instead focus more on here-and-now features like calling, audio, translation, and using a built-in camera to take pictures. If those all sound like familiar capabilities, it's because Meta's Ray-Bans can do all of those things. If you're reading that with deflation, I wouldn't blame you, given how advanced China's smart glasses field has become and the resources that Alibaba has at its disposal. But just because those capabilities are similar doesn't mean Quark AI can't push the ball forward. Alibaba just previewed its first AI-powered smart glasses — Quark — at WAIC 2025 in Shanghai. 🔹 Built on the Qwen model series🔹 Qualcomm AR1 + low-power dual system chip🔹 Seamless Alipay, Taobao, and Amap integration🔹 40% slimmer than current market glasses — Wes Roth (@WesRothMoney) July 28, 2025For one, Alibaba, unlike Meta, has access to different services that Meta doesn't. Among those is Alipay, which is a popular mobile payment service used predominantly in China but is becoming more widely accepted worldwide. As we've already seen in other smart glasses, like Xiaomi's recent entrant, that integration opens the door for some cool (and maybe concerning) mobile payment features. Similar to Xiaomi's smart glasses, Alibaba says Quark AI supports Alipay for purchasing things using QR codes. If it's anything like Xiaomi's feature—and I'm almost certain it is—users will use the camera to scan a QR code and then use the glasses' voice assistant to confirm payment. If it works as promised, that gives Alibaba's glasses one more advantage over Meta. Oh, also, these are 40% smaller than other similar smart glasses on the market, according to Alibaba, which is great for anyone who doesn't want to look like they're wearing a gadget on their face. And it's not just mobile payments where Alibaba may have the edge in more feature-rich smart glasses. Alibaba also shared plans to integrate navigation into its glasses, which is an area where I find Meta's Ray-Bans to be sorely lacking. I've been using Meta's Ray-Bans for almost a year now, and while I can load up Google Maps on my phone and pipe in step-by-step navigation through its Bluetooth audio, it's not the same as doing all of that natively. While I can't say for sure, Alibaba's glasses, with a tighter integration of GPS, may be able to launch navigation natively by prompting the glasses with a voice command. That may seem small, but it goes a long way in making smart glasses feel actually smart. It's hard to say for sure just where Alibaba will bring its smart glasses when they actually get released, and there's still a lot we don't know, including price, details on camera quality, battery life, and all that very important technical stuff. But from a possibility perspective, it's hard not to recognize a lot of potential for Meta-crushing functionality. If Quark AI is half as capable as Xiaomi's entrant into the space, I'd say Meta has a lot of catching up to do with its third-gen Ray-Ban smart glasses.
