OpenAI to open permanent London office next year

(Sharecast News) - OpenAI is set to open its first permanent London office in 2027, it emerged on Monday, marking a significant expansion of its presence in the UK despite recently pausing a major data centre project in the country. The San Francisco-based firm has reportedly secured an 88,500 square foot site in the King's Cross area, with capacity for up to 544 employees - more than double its current London headcount of around 200.

The new space, at Regent Quarter across Jahn Court and the Brassworks Building, was expected to support continued growth across research, engineering, policy, and commercial teams.

The move reinforced OpenAI's earlier commitment to make London its largest research hub outside the United States, reflecting strong demand for its products, including ChatGPT and its coding tools.

The announcement came shortly after OpenAI confirmed it had paused plans for its flagship UK data centre project, known as Stargate, citing high energy costs and an unfavourable regulatory environment.

The decision was seen as a setback for the UK government's ambitions to position the country as a global leader in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.