AI boom and D.C. hot mics: OpenAI and Microsoft go to Washington, Amazon surveys the field

This week on the GeekWire Podcast: The rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence takes center stage in business technology spending, in Washington D.C., and in the global tech power struggle.

We break down a headline-grabbing U.S. Senate hearing on AI and U.S.–China competitiveness, featuring testimony from Microsoft’s Brad Smith and OpenAI’s Sam Altman. There was also a fun Seattle tech callback in the form of a hot-mic moment from Sen. Maria Cantwell during Sen. Ted Cruz’s opening statement.

Plus, we dive into a new global survey from Amazon Web Services showing just how quickly companies are making generative AI their top tech priority — even ahead of cybersecurity.

U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Winning the AI Race: Strengthening U.S. Capabilities in Computing and Innovation

• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman: ChatGPT will ‘probably not’ replace Google as top search engine
• Previously: Microsoft asks Trump to loosen chip export limits
• Bloomberg: Trump plans to rescind AI chip export curbs

Amazon Web Services Generative AI Adoption Index

• Generative AI tops cybersecurity in 2025 tech budget priorities, new AWS study finds

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With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook.