Jeff Bezos's AI venture, Project Prometheus, is reportedly in talks to expand its presence in London by leasing office space in the King's Cross area. The move would see the secretive AI lab take up three floors in the Jellicoe Building, totaling approximately 38,000 square feet, according to the Financial Times.
London's Silicon Valley Ambitions
King's Cross is increasingly being viewed as the UK's rival to Silicon Valley, with a growing cluster of AI giants establishing operations there. The area, stretching from Paddington to King's Cross, has been dubbed the 'knowledge quarter'. OpenAI has already secured 88,500 square feet at Regent Quarter, while Anthropic recently signed for 158,000 square feet at One Triton Square. Scale AI has relocated its international headquarters to Pancras Square, and ServiceNow is set to occupy over 50,000 square feet near London Bridge.
Prometheus's Growth Trajectory
Prometheus, which develops AI systems that understand the physical world and transform industries like manufacturing, recently secured approximately $38 billion in backing, following a previous $10 billion round. The firm, led operationally by Bezos alongside co-chief executive Vikram Bajaj, has been hiring aggressively, including AI researchers and infrastructure specialists, as it expands capacity across locations in London, San Francisco, and Zurich.
Real estate data from CBRE indicates that AI firms are set to occupy up to 4 million square feet of office space in London by 2033, up from 1.5 million square feet today. This represents around 43 percent of all unleased space under development in central London. Michael Wiseman, head of campuses at British Land, commented: "You don't have to see many of those businesses coming over for it to be a really positive story for London."
Speed of AI Expansion
The rapid scaling of AI firms is reshaping how they occupy office space. Mike Gedye from CBRE UK noted: "What's notable compared to previous cycles is the speed of growth. They may be landing and taking 15 to 20 seats in a co-working space, but within 12 to 18 months, they've scaled into traditional offices and are taking more and more footprint."
AI-related tenants now make up almost 12 percent of landlord Great Portland Estate's office portfolio and over a quarter of its flexible work spaces. Chief executive Toby Courtauld said demand was unlikely to slow, despite concerns around an AI bubble, citing the growing need for "high value locations."
