Microsoft's private OpenAI emails and Satya Nadella’s new AI catchphrase

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Jan 24, 2026

Unsealed court emails reveal Microsoft’s behind-the-scenes history with OpenAI and a surprise early partnership with Amazon Web Services. Discussion of notable backchannel exchanges involving Elon Musk and Sam Altman. Satya Nadella debuts a new AI catchphrase at Davos. Coverage of startup activity in physical AI and robotics across the Pacific Northwest.

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INSIGHT

Inside Microsoft–OpenAI Documents

Hundreds of unsealed Microsoft–OpenAI documents revealed the private negotiations and evolving partnership spanning a decade.
Todd Bishop used Notebook LM to ingest the PDFs and build a linked timeline that drove reporting efficiently.

INSIGHT

Communication Styles Shaped Decisions

The documents expose real communication styles among leaders and how that shaped rapid decisions.
Satya Nadella's terse "btw" messages contrast with Brad Smith's longer, formal texts.

ANECDOTE

AWS Was The Original OpenAI Partner

Early OpenAI partnership talks originally involved Amazon Web Services, not Microsoft.
Satya Nadella expressed surprise when he discovered AWS's early role in the project.

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