Amazon discontinues Astro robot security guard for business, will focus on home robot

Jeff Bezos is selling more Amazon stock | BirchAI co-founder leads new startup ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: Washington state’s second-largest city is the hub of an ambitious regional tech community seeking to leverage new realities to achieve its longstanding goals: [Read more.]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES Amazon's robot security guard just lost its job. Amazon informed customers and employees Wednesday morning that it plans to discontinue its Astro for Business program, less than a year after launching the robot security guard for small- and medium-sized businesses. The decision will let Amazon focus on its home version of Astro, according to an internal email. [Read more](. Jeff Bezos is selling more Amazon stock, unloading 25 million shares worth $5 billion. The sale comes as the tech giant’s stock hit an all-time high this week. [Read more.]( Yinhan Liu, a natural language processing expert who sold Seattle startup BirchAI earlier this year, is setting off on another entrepreneurial journey with LeyLine, a Seattle-based company building AI-powered production tools for creative professionals. [Read more](. A new startup called PairUp wants to help companies streamline how knowledge — both documented and undocumented — is stored and shared across a company. PairUp’s chief product officer previously founded Seattle startup Pluto VR, and Seattle venture firm Graham & Walker is an investor. [Read more](. Hot Links: - Microsoft agreed to a $14.4 million settlement with California’s Civil Rights Department over allegations of discrimination against employees on parental and disability leave, promising to prevent future abuses. ([Yahoo News]( - Nintendo will not use generative AI in games, prioritizing unique experiences over technology, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa says. ([CNET]( - Microsoft is laying off more workers, according to posts by impacted employees. ([X]( Thanks for subscribing to the GeekWire newsletter, and have a great holiday weekend. We'll be back Monday. — GeekWire editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com; GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop, todd@geekwire.com; and GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, kurt@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [GeekWire on the Road: Spokane]( Washington state’s second-largest city is the hub of an ambitious regional tech community seeking to leverage new realities to achieve its longstanding goals, as GeekWire reports in this special series. [Read more.]( LATEST HEADLINES [Amazon discontinues Astro for Business robot security guard to focus on Astro home robot]( [Jeff Bezos selling $5B worth of Amazon shares as company’s stock hits all-time high]( [AI expert and film vet lead new Seattle startup aiming to help artists accelerate production]( [This startup wants to help change the way knowledge is captured and accessed at companies]( [Spokane’s aerospace Tech Hub misses out on federal funding but vows to keep going]( [Clean aviation startup ZeroAvia lands deal with American Airlines to buy 100 plane engines]( [Phaidra raises $12M for AI software that helps manage data center energy consumption]( [Blink … and it’s over: After 24 years at Seattle tech firm, Karen Clark Cole has a new user experience]( [Tech Moves: Tomo co-founder steps down; Usermind co-founder joins Ironclad; ex-Google director back at Microsoft]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [BRINC: Senior/Principal Full-Stack Software Engineer]( - [INRIX: Senior Frontend Engineer]( - [INRIX: Chief Marketing Officer]( - [INRIX: Corporate Controller]( - [BRINC: Content Writer]( - [Pioneer Square Labs: Principal]( - [INRIX: Senior Accountant]( - [BRINC: Senior/Principal Backend & Platform Software Engineer]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2024 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted to receive emails from GeekWire LLC.  Our mailing address is: GeekWire LLC 123 NW 36th St, Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98107  [change email frequency or address]( | [unsubscribe](