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Startup bets on 3-foot-tall companion robot

Plus: Valve's sticker-shock console, software employment declines, UW cracks the global top 12, and more


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TODAY'S TOP STORIES

Meet ‘Codey’ the robot: A Seattle-area startup is betting that a child-sized social robot could find a home in classrooms, hospitals, and senior care. Mind Children Robotics, co-founded by AGI researcher Ben Goertzel, is building Codey — a 3-foot-tall companion robot priced under $10,000. The company plans to run its first pilots in South Korea. Read more.

A Steam surprise: Valve abruptly opened reservations for its new, high-powered Steam Machine console, shocking fans with a massive $1,049 starting price tag that the company blames on ongoing global component shortages. The Bellevue, Wash.-based company first announced the small-scale gaming PC last year. Read more.

Tech Moves: Microsoft names chief digital safety officer; Remitly's chief product and technology officer departs; an AWS vet joins Synthesia to oversee its new Seattle office; and more personnel changes.

Software publishers in Washington state shed about 3,600 jobs in the 12 months ending in May, according to the latest data from the Employment Security Department. That accounts for nearly all of the 3,900-job drop across the broader "information" sector over the same period. Statewide unemployment has risen to 5.2%, up from 4.5% a year earlier. See the data.

  Hot Links:

  • Washington state patients and lawmakers are demanding answers after AI algorithms used by Medicare Advantage plans cut off critical medical care. (The Seattle Times)

  • The University of Washington ranked No. 12 on U.S. News & World Report’s latest “Best Global Universities” list, and No. 3 among U.S. public universities. (U.S. News & World Report)

  • Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson joined 40 city leaders worldwide in signing the Global Urban Data Centres Pact calling on tech companies to work with them in the sustainable and equitable deployment of the facilities. (C40 Cities)

Thanks for subscribing, and have a great day. — GeekWire editor Todd Bishop, [email protected]; reporter Kurt Schlosser, [email protected]; and reporter Lisa Stiffler, [email protected].
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