Get caught up on the latest technology and startup news from the past week. Here are the most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of Sept. 27, 2026.
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Most popular stories on GeekWire
Meet the X-BAT: Full specs on the new AI-piloted fighter jet to be built in Washington state
X-BAT at a Glance: Measuring 26 feet long with a 1,000-nautical-mile combat radius, Shield AI’s autonomous strike fighter is designed to launch vertically from highways or naval decks—bypassing traditional runways entirely. Here is a detailed look at the aircraft’s specs, timeline, and capabilities as production sets to begin in Des Moines, Wash. Read More … Read More
Longtime Microsoft research leader Peter Lee and former LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky to depart
Two top Microsoft executives shared this week that they’re leaving the Redmond, Wash., tech giant: Peter Lee, the former head of Microsoft Research, and Ryan Roslansky, Microsoft executive vice president overseeing both LinkedIn and Microsoft Office. Read More … Read More
Kindle gets a clicker: Amazon unveils $35 page-turning remote and refreshes its e-reader lineup
Amazon unveiled the Kindle Click, a $34.99 Bluetooth remote for turning pages, alongside a redesigned lineup of Kindle e-readers with flush screens, optional aluminum housings and user-replaceable batteries. Read More … Read More
Shield AI selects Seattle area to build X-BAT autonomous fighter jet, plans to add 4,000 jobs by early 2030s
Defense tech upstart Shield AI has selected the Puget Sound region as the manufacturing hub for X-BAT, bringing AI-piloted fighter production to the region and promising 4,000 jobs by the early 2030s. Read More … Read More
‘I’m not sure we’d make the same decision’: A rocket maker’s reality check for the Seattle region
Stoke Space CEO Andy Lapsa, whose company is building a fully reusable rocket, told a Seattle audience he isn’t sure he’d start the company in Washington state today. Read More … Read More
Seattle software engineer turned general contractor built an AI guide to the patchwork of permit rules
The site, kolmo.io/permits, serves as an un-gated database designed to answer the questions that usually send homeowners into a spiral of municipal PDFs. The AI-powered tool covers 457 verified rules across 80 jurisdictions in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, linking each rule directly to specific city source pages and exact wording rather than forcing users to rely on rough guesses and Google searches. Read More … Read More
Report: Downtown Seattle lost 13,000 jobs in a year, while Bellevue’s tech hub boomed
Seattle lost 18,000 jobs between 2024 and 2025—with 70% concentrated downtown—while Bellevue added over 5,300, according to new Downtown Seattle Association data. Amid business claims that the JumpStart payroll tax is driving tech across the lake, Mayor Katie Wilson has moved to freeze tax rates in her new budget to give employers stability amid broader industry shifts. Read More … Read More
Seattle outranks major global cities to land at No. 4 in report that cites economy, quality of life, and more
The Emerald City landed at No. 4 overall in the newly released Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2026, which scored 1,000 major urban centers across economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance. Read More … Read More
Amazon pledges $1B to data center communities, warns that local opposition threatens U.S. AI lead
Amazon says it will spend more than $1 billion over five years on community college, job training and other programs in the U.S. communities that host its data centers. The move responds to a growing backlash that AWS CEO Matt Garman says threatens the country’s lead in AI. Read More … Read More
UW starts construction on $231.1M chemistry hub set to open in 2029
The University of Washington broke ground on a $231.1 million Chemical Sciences Building set to open in 2029, featuring 104,500 square feet of state-of-the-art labs for instruction and research in quantum science, sustainable chemistry, and human health. The new five-story facility will replace the old Chemistry Library Building and pave the way for a full renovation of historic Bagley Hall. Read More … Read More
