DistantNews
Support us
🇸🇬 Singapore /Technology

At Beijing AI-themed bar, DeepSeek tokens come with the pints

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Beijing's AGI Bar, named after artificial general intelligence, has become a hub for AI developers, investors, and students.
  • The bar offers free DeepSeek AI tokens to customers via WiFi, running on Nvidia DGX Spark computers.
  • Owner Song De believes AI is a future public utility and views its discovery as more significant than the Industrial Revolution.

In Beijing's bustling Zhongguancun, often called China's Silicon Valley, a unique establishment called AGI Bar is blending artificial intelligence with social gatherings.

AI and alcohol have three main similarities, according to Beijing bar owner Song De: hallucinations, bubbles and distillation.

— Song DeIntroducing the bar owner's playful take on AI and his establishment.

Opened in 2025 by independent AI developer Song De, the bar is named after the concept of artificial general intelligence, where AI systems surpass human intellect. Located on Inno Way, a street teeming with startups and close to elite universities like Tsinghua and Peking, AGI Bar serves as a meeting point for the city's AI community. Song describes it as a place where individuals from different research labs, competing companies, and universities converge to discuss industry trends.

You’ll see people sitting around a table coming from different labs, competing companies, and different universities, all chatting about industry trends right here.

— Song DeDescribing the diverse clientele and collaborative atmosphere at the bar.

The bar's ambiance reflects its theme, with walls adorned with logos and figurines from major Chinese AI firms. A distinctive feature is the complimentary offering of DeepSeek AI tokens for customers. By connecting to the bar's WiFi, patrons can access unlimited tokens for coding, powered by two Nvidia DGX Spark computers on display. This initiative aligns with Song's vision of AI as a future public utility, akin to water or electricity.

This is a very unique and advantageous location. Haidian (district) has always been the heart of scientific research in China. Internet companies are clustered here, and the tech atmosphere, industry investments and VC incubators provide massive momentum for the sector.

— Song DeHighlighting the strategic importance of the bar's location in Beijing's tech hub.

Song, who runs the bar in his spare time, believes the discovery of AI holds greater significance than the Industrial Revolution. The bar's registered Chinese name, translating to "knowledge distillation," is a clever pun referencing both liquor distillation and the AI process of transferring knowledge from large models to smaller ones. AGI Bar has also become a venue for events like parties for Chinese AI labs, developer seminars, and university research meetups, further cementing its role in Beijing's vibrant AI ecosystem.

We say AI is a future public utility like water, electricity and the internet. AI should be like WiFi.

— Song DeExpressing his belief in AI's essential role in the future.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog