Tech CEOs join chorus of criticism for Seattle housing plan Leaders from 28 companies – including Zillow, Redfin and F5 – called on Mayor Bruce Harrell to boost density in the Comprehensive Plan. by Josh Cohen / May 24, 2024
News Seattle may spend $1.8M on controversial gunshot detection program The crime prevention technology, which pulls live audio and video feeds, has been backed by Mayor Harrell even as other cities report mixed results. by Jadenne Radoc Cabahug / February 29, 2024 / Updated at 2 p.m. on Feb. 29
Politics WA bill would add explicit ‘deepfakes’ to child pornography laws HB 1999 would close a legal recourse loophole by outlawing the use of a minor’s face to digitally fabricate sexual content. by Scarlet Hansen / February 13, 2024
Human Elements The WA funeral home that can turn you into a tree At Recompose in Seattle, Katrina Spade offers a low-emission alternative to traditional burial or cremation: human composting. January 29, 2024
Culture WA authors are teaching AI how to write — without their consent Companies like Meta and Bloomberg draw upon a database of 191,000 books to train the tools. Local writers aren’t happy, and lawsuits are in the works. by Nimra Ahmad / October 5, 2023
Investigations Federal aid is supercharging local WA police surveillance tech Pandemic relief funds are bankrolling new – and often unregulated – law enforcement tools such as license-plate readers, drones and AI video software. by Brandon Block / July 26, 2023
Cascade PBS Ideas Festival Podcast | What is the metaverse, and is it our future? Season 5 , Episode 16 / July 4, 2023 Two experts in immersive technologies may disagree on what the virtual world will look like, but they do agree it will change society.
Cascade PBS Ideas Festival Podcast | Big Tech’s desperate bid to remain relevant Season 5 , Episode 15 / June 29, 2023 Major tech companies like Microsoft, Google and Facebook are grappling with government regulation and a public that has fallen out of love.
Cascade PBS Ideas Festival Podcast | Making smart decisions about artificial intelligence Season 5 , Episode 9 / June 8, 2023 As the new technology proliferates, the founding CEO of the Allen Institute for A.I. discusses how — or even whether — it should be controlled.
Human Elements The Guardians The Wei Wai Kum Nation uses Indigenous practices of eco-cultural restoration. March 3, 2023
Equity Study reveals internet access inequities in Seattle and Portland CenturyLink offers some poorer neighborhoods with more residents of color slower internet for higher prices, an analysis found. by Kaylee Tornay InvestigateWest / January 4, 2023
Environment Gov. Inslee plans to ban gas-powered cars by 2035. Is it doable? For Washington state drivers to fully embrace electric vehicles, they'll need more places to charge them. by John Stang / November 28, 2022 / Updated at 4:15 p.m.
News This tiny Eastern WA town could become a bitcoin mining hub California investors hope to strike it rich by building a huge crypto operation in the remote town of Usk. But the community isn't so sure. by Zachariah Bryan InvestigateWest / November 17, 2022
Culture The $1.6B sale of Paul Allen’s art collection looms over Seattle An empty Cinerama and a missing sculpture: What will happen to the late Microsoft billionaire’s legacy of art philanthropy? by Margo Vansynghel / November 10, 2022
News The Seattle MacArthur Fellow who teaches common sense to computers UW researcher Dr. Yejin Choi has spent a career pursuing 'risky' AI research that bridges the communication gap between humans and technology. by Hannah Weinberger / November 1, 2022
Environment Recycling isn't enough to slow plastic pollution, WA scientists say Despite new tech and materials, the most realistic solution is to use less plastic in packaging. by Samantha Wohlfeil InvestigateWest / September 28, 2022