Updated October 2026. This replaces our September 2024 list, which had gone out of date.
Two years is a long time in AI. When we first published our list of UK AI employers, some of the names were small start-ups. Since then, a few have been bought, one has collapsed, and two of the biggest AI labs in the world have chosen London for major new offices. If you are looking for an AI job, or you run a business and want to know where the talent is going, here is the current picture in plain English.
The big shift: London is now a major AI hub
Reports in April 2026 said Anthropic (maker of Claude) had signed a large lease at King’s Cross with room for about 800 people, and that OpenAI (maker of ChatGPT) had taken space for more than 500 staff there, its first permanent UK base. Between them, that is around 1,300 desks. Both were reported to have roughly 200 UK staff at the time, so they are expected to grow fast. (Source: Metaintro, April 2026. Headcount figures are reported plans, not company guarantees.)
Google DeepMind, Wayve, Synthesia and Isomorphic Labs are all based in or around the same part of London.
UK AI companies worth a look in 2026
| Company | What they do | Jobs |
| Anthropic | AI assistant Claude, with a large AI safety research team in London. | Anthropic jobs |
| OpenAI | ChatGPT and AI models; building its first permanent UK office. | OpenAI jobs |
| Google DeepMind | One of the world’s leading AI research labs, founded in London. | DeepMind jobs |
| Wayve | Self-driving car technology using AI that learns from real roads. (On our 2024 list.) | Wayve jobs |
| Isomorphic Labs | AI-driven drug discovery, mixing biology, chemistry and machine learning. | Isomorphic jobs |
| Synthesia | AI video: turns text into presenter-led videos for business training and marketing. | Synthesia jobs |
| Gradient Labs | AI agents for regulated industries such as financial services. | Check their website |
| Cera | Uses predictive AI to improve home care. | Check their website |
| Xapien | Automates due diligence and risk research with AI. | Check their website |
| ServiceNow | Workplace workflow software with built-in AI. (On our 2024 list.) | ServiceNow jobs |
| Nexthink | Software that spots workplace IT problems before staff notice. (On our 2024 list.) | Nexthink jobs |
The smaller companies above (Gradient Labs, Cera, Xapien) were highlighted in a recent UK AI employers to watch roundup. We have not independently verified their current vacancies, so check each company’s own site.
What changed from our 2024 list
- Builder.ai has gone. The once highly valued app-building company began insolvency proceedings in 2025 after a sales scandal. (Bloomberg.) It is a useful reminder that “AI” in a company’s name is not a guarantee of a stable employer.
- Featurespace, the Cambridge fraud-prevention specialist, was acquired by Visa in December 2024. (Visa.) Roles now sit within a much bigger company.
- Graphcore, the Bristol AI chip maker, was acquired by Japan’s SoftBank in 2024, so it is no longer an independent start-up.
- BenevolentAI was taken private through a delisting merger in 2025, after leaving the Euronext Amsterdam stock market. (Business Wire.) Check its current status before applying.
- Several other names from 2024 (such as Klaviyo, Smartly, Sojern, Samsara and Starburst) are mostly US or international firms with UK offices, so we have removed them from the headline list. Their careers pages are still worth a look.
What AI jobs pay in the UK
One 2026 industry snapshot estimates roughly 12,000 to 18,000 live UK AI vacancies in mid-2026, and about 5.6% of UK job adverts mentioning AI, the highest of 30 countries surveyed by Indeed Hiring Lab. Pay figures below are approximate base salaries from the same report, which describes them as “a directional snapshot rather than an audited statistic”. (Source: artificialintelligencejobs.co.uk, June 2026.)
- Graduate: £35,000 to £50,000
- Mid-level: £55,000 to £85,000
- Senior: £85,000 to £130,000
- Machine learning engineer median: about £67,000 (ITJobsWatch)
- AI product manager: £70,000 to £130,000
- AI risk and governance in finance: £100,000 to £250,000 or more, including bonus
Elite research roles at the top labs pay far more, but these are rare and highly competitive.
Where the jobs are
London and the South East account for roughly half of UK AI vacancies, according to the same report’s estimates. Cambridge and the East of England, Manchester and the North West, Edinburgh, and Bristol follow. Most roles are hybrid.
Not a technical person? You still have options
You do not need to write code to work in AI. Demand is strong for AI product managers, governance and compliance specialists, trainers, consultants and people who can help ordinary businesses use AI sensibly. If you run a business, the same skills gap affects you: about 97% of organisations report at least one AI skills gap, according to ManpowerGroup’s 2026 figures quoted in the report above.
Always check the company’s own careers page for live roles. Salaries and headcounts are estimates and change quickly.
Also read
AI boom may not have positive outcome, warns UK competition watchdog, CMA
The Integration of AI in UK Businesses: Opportunities, Benefits, and Essential Skillsets
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