By the AI Boom Team | Published 16 October 2026 | Part 1 of 2 · Read Part 2: the rules and the risks
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is putting down serious roots in Britain. New company accounts show eye-watering pay in its London office, a big new headquarters is on the way, and yet one of its biggest British bets has been put on ice. Here is the money-and-property half of the OpenAI UK story.
1. Bumper paydays: £2.3 million per London employee
Accounts for OpenAI’s UK arm, reported in mid-October 2026, show it employed 110 people in London in 2025. Counting salaries and share-based awards together, the average came to roughly £2.3 million per employee, more than double the roughly £1.1 million a year earlier.
- Salaries: about £87 million in total, which works out at roughly £794,000 each on average.
- Share awards: about £168 million, tied to the soaring value of the company.
- UK turnover: roughly tripled to £293 million.
- Reported profit: about £20.3 million.
- Leadership: former Chancellor George Osborne joined last December and oversees OpenAI’s work with national governments.
A quick note on the big number: most of that £2.3 million is equity (shares), not cash in the bank. It reflects what the company says the shares are worth, so it can move up or down with OpenAI’s valuation.
2. A permanent home at King’s Cross
OpenAI has signed a lease for around 88,500 square feet at Regent Quarter in King’s Cross, across the Jahn Court and Brassworks buildings. It is due to open in 2027 and can hold up to 544 people. About 200 people work for OpenAI in London today, and the space is aimed at research, engineering and commercial hires. For anyone building a career in AI, that is a clear signal: London is a place where the company plans to grow.
3. The catch: Stargate UK is on hold
While OpenAI builds offices, it has paused “Stargate UK”, a multi-billion-pound data centre project planned for North Tyneside. The reasons given were high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty. In plain English: Britain has a lot of AI talent, but running huge computer farms here is expensive, and the rules are still unclear. It is a useful reminder that people and machines are two different investments.
What it means for UK business owners
- The talent war is real. Top AI staff are being paid like sports stars, so smaller firms should lean on tools and partners rather than try to out-hire the giants.
- London is becoming an AI hub. More research jobs and spin-off startups usually follow a big lab.
- Energy matters. If power prices stay high, expect more AI computing to be built elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
How much do OpenAI’s UK staff earn?
According to reports on its 2025 accounts, about £2.3 million each on average, including roughly £794,000 in salary and the rest mostly in share awards.
Where is OpenAI’s new London office?
Regent Quarter, King’s Cross. It is due to open in 2027 and will hold up to 544 people.
Is OpenAI still building Stargate UK?
The project has been paused, with the company pointing to energy costs and regulatory uncertainty.
Sources: The Guardian, Resultsense, Technology Magazine. Original summary, not financial advice.
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