A San Francisco-based artificial intelligence startup, boasting a valuation of $26 billion, is in the process of occupying a South of Market building previously associated with Cruise, the well-known robotaxi firm.
Cognition, the creator of Devin—an autonomous AI tool designed to assist software engineers in coding and testing—has finalized a lease for the building located at 333 Brannan St., which Cruise had previously made available for sublease. This substantial property encompasses 180,000 square feet.
Real estate insiders, including those from the brokerage firm CBRE who facilitated the deal, confirmed this week that Cognition will assume Cruise's five-year sublease in the building owned by Kilroy Realty.
Cognition has yet to comment on the transaction, and a representative from Kilroy has also refrained from providing any details.
This move will significantly broaden Cognition’s presence in San Francisco, increasing its operational space more than seven times from its current 25,000 square feet at 550 Third St. in the South Park area.
This expansion follows a remarkable fundraising surge, propelling Cognition's value from approximately $4 billion in March 2025 to a staggering $26 billion after raising over $1 billion in May 2026.
Founded in 2023 by Walden Yan, Steven Hao, and Scott Wu, Cognition has attracted major backing from firms like Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Bain Capital Ventures. As of March, the company reportedly employed over 200 people.
Notably, Cognition has garnered attention for its intense workplace culture, with the founders offering buyouts to certain staff members who preferred a healthier work-life balance.
Derek Daniel, regional research director at Colliers, remarked, “This is another instance of an AI company scaling up and committing to a significant office space.” He observed that demand for office space from emerging AI startups and other industries is increasingly spreading throughout the city, particularly in SoMa.
Once a bustling hub for tech companies before the pandemic, SoMa has faced challenges in the post-2020 landscape, as many office tenants retreated from San Francisco.
“If leasing continues at this momentum, 2025 could see record levels in office leasing activity,” Daniel added.
Cognition's swift growth starkly contrasts with that of Cruise, the former occupant of 333 Brannan St. Cruise's robotaxi operations faced major setbacks following a crash in 2023 that led state regulators to halt the company's driverless testing and deployment permits. Federal investigators later discovered that Cruise had not fully disclosed details about the incident.
Cruise was one of the pioneers in testing autonomous vehicles on San Francisco streets, but in 2024, General Motors—Cruise's majority owner—discontinued funding for the robotaxi service and sought to take full control. This shift resulted in a significant workforce reduction, with about half of Cruise’s employees laid off, while remaining technology and talent were integrated into GM’s own autonomous driving and driver-assistance ventures.
Moreover, Cruise has been proactive in marketing two additional buildings from its former Brannan Street campus for subletting. In 2024, it listed a 110,000-square-foot office space at 345 Brannan St. for sublease, a full seven years before the lease was due to expire, yet that property remains unoccupied.
