Amazon deploys roaming robots along San Francisco Market Street

SAN FRANCISCO - Amazon said it has deployed a squadron of robots to roam Market Street in San Francisco starting Monday.  

The little black boxes on wheels look similar to the robots tested by food delivery companies. But instead of whisking food to hungry neighbors, Amazon's robots will advertise the company's new Generative AI exhibit that's set to launch on Wednesday. 

Located at Amazon's offices on Market Street in San Francisco's Financial District, the exhibit will host public-facing events showcasing projects using artificial intelligence throughout an eight-week residency, according to the company's website. 

At the San Francisco exhibit's first event on Wednesday, visitors will see AI art-making tools and a demonstration of holographic communication. After its launch, the so-called "Generative AI Hub" will host three-day bootcamps for local entrepreneurs where they can get "hands-on" experiences with AI, according to Amazon.  

The AI hub comes to San Francisco after a two-week stint in Bengaluru, India. And after its time in San Francisco, the exhibit is set for appearances in S+o Paulo, London, and Paris.  The pop-ups are part of Amazon's recent $230 million campaign to support startups in developing uses for artificial intelligence. 

"The pace and scale of innovation in generative AI is incredible" said Ivan Porollo, the co-founder of an enclave for AI workers in Hayes Valley. "We've seen firsthand that you need a really strong community to test ideas and stay on top of the latest breakthroughs in the space."