OpenAI’s London staff receive average of £2.3m per person annually

OpenAI’s London staff each received an average of £2,318,181 last year, as the ChatGPT maker invested heavily in talent to lead the global AI race. Accounts for OpenAI UK Ltd showed that 110 employees shared £87m in salaries and £168m in shares. This averages about £1,000 an hour before tax, 58 times the median UK full-time employee earnings, with AI researchers receiving the largest packages. The figures reflect a talent war in which rival Meta reportedly offered multi-year packages worth hundreds of millions. OpenAI’s London office is its largest international research hub and also houses government affairs, sales and marketing teams; former UK chancellor George Osborne joined as head for countries in December. The company declined to comment. The earnings come amid AI safety crises, including a training-agent hack and the departure of a safety leader. OpenAI UK Ltd’s turnover more than trebled to £293m in 2025, with a £20.3m profit. The AI boom has also driven up San Francisco housing costs, where average one-bedroom rent is now $4,400 per month.

(Source：the Guardian)