OpenAI Opens First Permanent London Office at King's Cross with Capacity for 500 Staff
Artificial intelligence giant OpenAI has announced the opening of its first permanent office in London, signing an 88,500 square foot lease at Regent's Quarter in King's Cross — a move that cements the UK capital as the company's largest research hub outside the United States.
The new office, announced on Monday 13 April, has capacity for more than 500 team members, more than doubling OpenAI's current UK headcount of approximately 200 employees. The King's Cross location places OpenAI alongside other major technology companies including Google DeepMind, Meta, Synthesia, and Wayve, reinforcing the area's status as one of Europe's premier technology districts.
Background
The announcement comes in the wake of OpenAI's decision to pause its major UK Stargate data centre project, which had been planned across sites including Cobalt Park near Newcastle and Blyth in Northumberland. That project was halted due to concerns over the high cost of energy and the country's regulatory environment — a setback that had raised questions about the UK's ability to attract large-scale AI infrastructure investment.
The new permanent office represents a different kind of commitment: a focus on people, research, and talent rather than physical computing infrastructure.
Key Developments
OpenAI plans to expand its London teams across research, engineering, customer support, enterprise, startups, policy, communications, marketing, and sales. Phoebe Thacker, OpenAI's London site lead and global head of data research programmes, highlighted the UK's strengths as a reason for the investment.
The new office provides the space to continue building in London and supports the growing use of AI by businesses, developers, and institutions across the UK.
The UK's AI sector has been performing strongly in 2026, with startups raising $6.7 billion so far this year — already approaching the $8.2 billion raised across the entirety of 2025. Recent significant funding rounds include Nscale raising $2 billion in March, Wayve securing $1.2 billion in February, and ElevenLabs raising $500 million.
Why It Matters
For the UK government, which has made AI a central pillar of its economic growth strategy through the AI Opportunities Action Plan, OpenAI's permanent presence in London is a significant vote of confidence. The decision to make London its largest international research hub signals that the UK remains competitive for top AI talent despite losing the Stargate data centre project.
For London's tech ecosystem, the arrival of one of the world's most influential AI companies in King's Cross adds further momentum to a cluster that is increasingly rivalling Silicon Valley in terms of AI research output and talent density.
What's Next
OpenAI is expected to begin hiring aggressively across its expanded London teams in the coming months. The company's UK policy team will also play an increasingly important role as the government develops its AI regulatory framework and the Online Safety Act continues to evolve. Discussions between OpenAI and its Stargate partner Nscale regarding the paused data centre project are reportedly ongoing.
