GeekWire Booms, Busts, and Seattle in the AI Era, with Jeff Shulman of the UW Foster School
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Aug 23, 2025 
Jeff Shulman, a marketing professor and civic advocate at the University of Washington's Foster School, dives into Seattle's dynamic landscape amidst the AI boom. He discusses the city’s struggle to nurture superstar startups and the evolving role of AI in marketing education. Shulman also reflects on Seattle's rich tech history in contrast to Silicon Valley and shares passionate insights about the potential revival of the Seattle Supersonics, illustrating the deep connections between sports, identity, and innovation in the region.
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Engage With UW To Build Local Talent
- Industry leaders should guest-lecture, mentor, and partner with UW to connect practice to curriculum.
- Shulman invites companies to co-create research and hire students to sustain a local talent flywheel.
Seattle's Experimentation Paradox
- Seattle's culture is known for experimentation and forgiving failure, yet robo-taxis haven't taken hold here.
- Shulman finds it surprising that a risk-tolerant city like Seattle lags on driverless vehicle trials.
Policy Shapes Tech Deployment
- Regulatory and policy barriers, not just technology, shape whether innovations like robo-taxis arrive.
- Shulman suggests local red tape and housing-related regulatory culture may deter pilots and deployments.