Tech CEO Plans AI Utopia City in Uruguay, First Residents Expected Next Year

Praxis, a New York-based company, plans to establish a new city in Uruguay powered by artificial intelligence, with initial residents anticipated by mid-2027. The project is led by 30-year-old CEO Dryden Brown, who claims investment from a fund founded by billionaire Peter Thiel.

According to a company press release, Uruguay was chosen for its "natural beauty, political and economic stability." Brown envisions the city's architecture as a "fusion of gothic elements and space-age futurism." He is scheduled to meet with Uruguay's President Yamandu Orsi during the President's visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The initial phase of development will occur within +Colonia, an existing project near Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, which is also supported by Eduardo Bastitta, an advisor to Argentina's President Javier Milei.

"The AI industry is building technology that will fundamentally change the role of human labor. We are building a place to explore what comes next," Brown stated. "How do people find purpose in this world? How do we turn extraordinary new wealth into prosperity and a civilization worth living in? These are the questions we want to make practical in Uruguay."

Praxis intends to mobilize $1 billion in investment over the next three years. The company draws a parallel between the AI revolution and the economic growth that supported the Renaissance in Florence, stating its city will "pioneer new approaches to culture, economic coordination, and technology, designed for a future shaped by artificial general intelligence."

Brown plans to relocate to Uruguay in December and Praxis aims to begin acquiring land within +Colonia by the end of next year. He expressed enthusiasm for the project, telling outlets, "Having, like, an actual place is, like, really, really fire."

The city is envisioned as a new cultural hub inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, with home sales intended to fund its development. "Part of what AI creates will go towards funding the next great generation of artists, architects, and thinkers," the company said. "We want the sale of exceptional homes to pay for extraordinary culture. The people who make a city worth living in should be able to afford to live there."

Previously, Brown had expressed aspirations for Praxis's city to become a self-governing city-state independent of national laws. However, he has since clarified to The New York Times that self-governance is not an immediate objective and that the project will adhere to Uruguay's legal framework for the time being. Other locations, including Greenland, were considered before settling on Uruguay.

This initiative is part of a broader trend among tech entrepreneurs seeking to shape societal development on their own terms. Similar efforts, such as the proposed city in Solano County, California, by investors including Marc Andreesen and Reid Hoffman, have faced significant local resistance.