According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI has announced its first New York City office lease, sparking hope among property owners that the growing artificial intelligence industry will drive demand for more office space. The company behind ChatGPT has reached an agreement to rent 90,000 square feet in SoHo’s iconic Puck Building at 295 Lafayette St.
This move by OpenAI is part of a larger trend of AI companies securing office space in major tech hubs like San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and now New York City. This activity may help counteract the recent downsizing of office spaces by larger tech firms.
The Puck Building is owned by Kushner Cos., which also houses Thrive Capital – a venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner who recently led a $6.6-billion funding round for OpenAI. This familiarity with the building likely played a role in their decision to lease there.
In summary:
OpenAI has signed its first NYC office lease at SoHo’s Puck Building as part of an increasing trend among AI companies securing space in major tech hubs like SF and Seattle. The move could offset downsizing from larger tech firms and was made possible through connections with Thrive Capital – housed within the same building – whose founder led a recent funding round for OpenAI worth billions.
