OpenAI UK average staff pay reaches £2.3 million as London office expands

OpenAI UK paid its London employees an average remuneration package of £2.3 million in 2025 as total British staff costs reached £258 million, according to company filings published on 17 October 2026.

The total employee cost rose from £60.7 million in 2024, driven by higher wages and substantial equity grants. Accounts reported by Share Talk show the company employed an average of 110 staff members during 2025, up from the previous year as the business expanded its research and operational presence in London.

Wages and salaries for the year reached £87.3 million, which equals approximately £794,000 per employee. Share-based compensation formed the largest part of worker packages at £167.8 million, or more than £1.5 million per employee. Combined with pension contributions and other benefits, total staff expenditures averaged £2.35 million per worker. The company noted that these figures represent accounting averages rather than individual take-home pay, with equity awards remaining subject to vesting schedules and potential valuation changes.

Financial Performance and London Growth

OpenAI UK recorded turnover of £293 million in 2025, up from £79.2 million in 2024. Profit after tax reached £20.3 million, compared to £5.4 million in the previous accounting period. The turnover figures primarily reflect payments received from OpenAI's parent organisation under intercompany fee arrangements for services rendered, rather than direct sales to British customers.

The London subsidiary represents OpenAI's largest international research hub and houses teams focused on research, commercial operations, government relations, and marketing. To accommodate its workforce, the company plans to move into a new headquarters located in the King's Cross area of London.

Flotation Timetable and Capital Expenditure

Founded in 2015 and led by Chief Executive Sam Altman, OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022 before restructuring as a public benefit corporation in 2025. The enterprise is reportedly targeting a stock market valuation of $1.4 trillion and plans to raise at least $30 billion through an initial public offering.

The prospective flotation is now expected in 2027 following delays connected to discussions around governance and safety standards. The company faces industry projections indicating it may require hundreds of billions of dollars in additional capital expenditure by 2030 to construct supporting infrastructure and develop newer models. Meanwhile, rival developer Anthropic is also pursuing a stock market listing while expanding international recruitment.