Monica Nickelsburg
AI & Economy Reporter
About
Monica Nickelsburg covers artificial intelligence, tech, and the local economy in the Pacific Northwest.
Monica came to KUOW in 2023. Before that, she spent six years covering the intersection of technology and politics for GeekWire and worked as a digital producer for The Week.
Monica grew up in Los Angeles and got her B.A. in Journalism and History from New York University before landing in Seattle.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Podcasts
Stories
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Amazon launches new AI tools, as Microsoft and OpenAI end exclusive cloud deal
Big changes are underway for the Seattle area’s tech titans. Amazon and Microsoft just rewrote the terms of their partnerships with OpenAI as all three companies charge ahead into the artificial intelligence frontier.
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How indie bookstores escaped Amazon's shadow
Independent bookstores are thriving. How did they do it? And what can other businesses learn?
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Will federal research cuts kill the innovation economy?
What could cuts to federal research funding mean for Seattle’s future economy?
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AI as an attorney? Student uses ChatGPT, Gemini to sue UW over alleged racial discrimination
A California man is using AI as a team of lawyers, claiming colleges who rejected his son's application, including the University of Washington, did so based on racial discrimination.
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Live: The risks and realities of AI chatbots
Monica sits down with journalists Kashmir Hill from the New York Times and Jeff Horwitz from Reuters to talk about their reporting on AI chatbots, and whether these new state regulations can protect us from their risks.
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Planet Money and the hidden laws that run our economy
A conversation with Kenny Malone, host of Planet Money, and Alex Mayyasi, business reporter and author of the new Planet Money book, to talk about the hidden laws that control our economy, and how they’re affecting us here in Seattle.
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Unemployment in WA reaches highest rate since 2021
Washington’s unemployment rate ticked up to 5% in January. Though relatively low in historic terms, it’s the highest rate reported since 2021.
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The K-shaped economy: Why diners are dying but yachts are booming
Businesses that cater to middle-class customers are closing thanks to what economists call the “K-shaped economy,” where high- and low-income groups grow while the middle hollows out.
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Where have all the diners gone? The disappearing middle class economy
Companies that cater to the middle class are cratering under the weight of the affordability crisis. What does that mean for the businesses we love?
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Could light rail across Lake Washington turn Seattle into the new Copenhagen?
It’s taken 10 years and almost $4 billion, but at long last, light rail will run across Lake Washington. Aside from faster commutes, some are hopeful the new "crosslake connection" can revitalize the regional economy.