AT&T’S TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO UNION SQUARE
AT&T is reopening its flagship retail store at One Powell Street, marking a return to Union Square after closing the location in 2023. The highly visible corner near the Powell Street cable car turnaround has seen renewed leasing activity and investment over the past year, with additional improvements planned along the corridor. sf.citi board member Cammy Blackstone, AT&T’s Director of External Affairs, noted the broader momentum behind the decision: “San Francisco still has challenges… But the bright spots are real. And that optimism we’re all feeling, it’s legit. Companies are moving back to the city.” AT&T’s Union Square return signals continued confidence in downtown’s recovery and long-term vitality.
ANTHROPIC: RESPONSIBLE AI, BUILT IN SAN FRANCISCO
sf.citi member Anthropic continues to anchor its rapid growth in San Francisco. In a recent conversation on It’s Not Magic, Co-Founder and President Daniela Amodei reflected on the company’s commitment to responsible scaling as Claude now serves more than 300,000 business customers worldwide. She discussed the balance between innovation and regulation, preserving culture during hyper-growth, and why San Francisco remains the ideal home for AI research and development. As Anthropic expands its downtown footprint, the company’s trajectory reinforces the city’s position at the center of the global AI ecosystem. Listen to the Full Podcast.
UBER’S MOVES TO SUPPORT DRIVERS AND EXPANDING MOBILITY
Uber announced new incentives to accelerate the buildout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in neighborhoods where drivers live and work, helping operators de-risk construction and lower costs for drivers. The company also shared plans to invest $100 million in charging hubs to support autonomous fleets and announced its acquisition of parking app SpotHero, which will expand parking access within the Uber platform. Together, these moves strengthen Uber’s broader mobility ecosystem while supporting drivers and advancing electrification in major cities, including San Francisco.
EVENTS WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT
- RSAC 2026 (Cybersecurity & AI Innovation)
A major industry conference at Moscone Center focused on cybersecurity, AI in defense and enterprise tech, with keynote sessions and deep-dive tracks. Scheduled for March 23–26, 2026. - GDC 2026 (Game Developers Conference)
Hosted at Moscone Center, this premier game development event runs March 9–13, 2026, offering sessions, showcases, and networking for developers, designers, and tech creators.
CITY HALL HIGHLIGHTS
At the Department of Elections, two competing business tax measures have qualified for the June ballot, the first being Small Business & Economic Recovery Act, introduced by the San Francisco Chamber and endorsed by sf.citi, would raise the small business exemption to $7.5 million in gross receipts, exempt most businesses below that threshold from both the Gross Receipts Tax and the Top Executive Pay Tax, and accelerate a previously scheduled adjustment—an approach centered on targeted relief and economic recovery. In contrast, the labor-backed “Overpaid CEO Act” would significantly increase taxes on certain large corporations based on executive-to-worker pay ratios, marking a more expansive shift in the City’s business tax structure. Separately, Supervisor Bilal Mahmood has advanced a charter amendment ballot measure that would impose lifetime term limits on the Mayor and members of the Board of Supervisors, replacing the current system that allows officials to return after a break in service and prompting a broader debate about continuity and institutional experience at City Hall.
SF NEWS & UPDATES
- OpenAI enters Silicon Valley with massive lease in Google’s backyard (SF Chronicle)
- WorkWhile Names Simon Khalaf CEO as Company Enters Next Phase of Growth and Expands Into Worker Financial Services (PR Newswire)
- Waymo’s self-driving technology gets an upgrade, allowing robotaxis to ‘see’ better in the rain (SF Chronicle)
- SF opens endorsement season with state Dems’ convention (SF Examiner)
- Anthropic to donate $20 million to US political group backing AI regulation (Reuters)
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