The so-called GenAI loft is one of several such pop-up spaces Amazon has opened across the U.S. and around the world. The idea is to draw startups, tech developers, investors, the public, and a little media attention to the space to spotlight the company's AI work — everything from chatbots that help Amazon shoppers learn more about products to professional software tools for developers made available through Amazon Web Services, the company's cloud computing offering.
The opening comes at a "moment when people are just learning how to use AI" said Amazon Web Services VP of Developer Experience, Adam Seligman. While developers and entrepreneurs will have the run of the space, open and free-to-register events will also be held there, he said.
Another such loft has already debuted in Bengaluru, India, with more planned for São Paulo, London, Paris, and Seoul throughout the year.
The company said the pop ups are "designed to foster community and innovation among gen AI startups and developers." To that end, the San Francisco launch is planned to include robot-made paintings and AI-generated artwork by artist Claire Silver.
Interactive holograms and AI tech talks are also on tap for the launch, with the space planned to stay open through mid-October.
Among tech giants, Microsoft, Google, and Meta have received more media attention for building their own families of chatbots and AI-image generators. Amazon has taken a different tack, making AI language models available through its AWS cloud service that users can use to create chatbots of their own.
The e-commerce giant also has invested $4 billion in OpenAI competitor Anthropic, another leading San Francisco company that builds large AI models and chatbots.
Anthropic is partnering with Amazon to put on future events in the Market Street space, Seligman said.
Amazon is the latest company to leave its AI-infused mark on downtown San Francisco. Last year Microsoft, the leading investor in OpenAI, opened a "Co-Innovation Lab" to give startups and investors access to its AI technology.
Unlike the Amazon pop-up, Microsoft's lab is permanent, but the company has also kept it closed to the media and the public. Microsoft has opened similar facilities in Redmond, Wash., along with Munich, Shanghai, and Montevideo, Uruguay.
Tech giants are not alone in making their presence known in the city that has become the global capital of AI innovation.
The UK government chose San Francisco as the first overseas location of its AI Safety Institute in part to tap into the city's and region's tech talent.
The Italian government also operates a tech accelerator for Italian startups, called INNOVIT, near the Jackson Square neighborhood.
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