OpenAI has signed a lease for its first permanent London office at Regent Quarter in King's Cross. The 88,500 square foot space, which spans the Jahn Court and Brassworks buildings, will house up to 544 team members when it opens in 2027. For a company that already employs roughly 200 people across the UK, this new OpenAI London office marks a serious step up in its commitment to the capital.
The announcement arrives just days after OpenAI paused its UK Stargate data centre project, citing high energy costs and unresolved copyright regulations. Yet rather than stepping back from the UK, the company is doubling down on London as a centre for research, engineering, and commercial operations. For businesses considering office space in King's Cross and across the wider city, this is a strong vote of confidence in London's standing as a global technology centre.
Key takeaways
- The new OpenAI London office at Regent Quarter, King's Cross, will span 88,500 square feet with capacity for 544 staff
- OpenAI has named London as its largest research hub outside San Francisco
- The company currently employs around 200 people in the UK and plans to more than double that number
- King's Cross continues to attract major tech occupiers alongside Google and Meta
- Despite pausing the UK Stargate data centre project, OpenAI is investing heavily in its London presence
What Do We Know About the OpenAI London Office?
OpenAI's new permanent London base occupies 88,500 square feet at Regent Quarter in King's Cross, split across two buildings: Jahn Court and the Brassworks Building. The space will accommodate up to 544 team members, more than doubling the company's current UK workforce of approximately 200 employees. The office is expected to open in 2027.
The company currently has around 30 researchers working in London, according to reporting by Tech.eu, alongside teams in engineering, customer support, enterprise sales, startups, policy, communications, and marketing. In February 2026, OpenAI designated London as its largest research hub outside San Francisco, signalling that the city would play a central role in the company's future product and safety work.
Phoebe Thacker, OpenAI's global head of data research programmes and London site lead, said the move reflects the strength of the UK's talent base. The company's flagship products, including ChatGPT and the Codex coding agent, are already supported by its UK teams. With over 500 additional desks planned, the new OpenAI London office will give those teams the room to grow within a purpose-built environment.
For growing tech companies weighing up their own workspace options, serviced office solutions offer a practical way to scale quickly in prime London locations without the complexity of a traditional lease.
Why Did OpenAI Choose King's Cross?
King's Cross stands out as one of London's most established technology districts, already home to the UK offices of Google and Meta as well as a growing cluster of AI startups and scale-ups. For a company seeking proximity to other leading firms and direct access to London's deep AI talent pool, it is a natural choice.
Transport connectivity gives the area a further edge. King's Cross St Pancras is the fourth busiest station on the London Underground network, with more lines running through it than any other station. St Pancras International also provides Eurostar services to Paris and Brussels, offering companies with European operations a direct rail link to the continent. For OpenAI, which maintains its European headquarters in Dublin, that international connectivity matters.
The area has undergone one of London's most successful regeneration programmes over the past two decades. Former industrial sites now house modern purpose-built offices alongside carefully restored heritage buildings, set among public squares, restaurants, and cultural venues. This mix of character and contemporary infrastructure helps employers attract and retain staff who value their working environment. Businesses searching for London office space will find King's Cross offers everything from converted Victorian warehouses to high-specification modern buildings suited to growing technology teams.
What Happened to the UK Stargate Project?
OpenAI paused the UK component of its global Stargate project, a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative launched in partnership with Nvidia and Nscale, just days before confirming the OpenAI London office plans. The project had originally aimed to build large-scale data centre capacity across several UK sites, starting with up to 8,000 GPUs and scaling to 31,000 over time.
The company cited two main obstacles. UK industrial electricity prices remain among the highest in Europe, making data centre operations significantly more expensive than in competing markets. Meanwhile, proposed copyright rules governing AI training data remain unresolved after creative sector opposition forced a delay in March 2026. According to IT Pro's analysis of the announcement, the company stated it would move forward when regulatory and energy conditions support long-term infrastructure investment.
The timing of the office lease is telling. By committing to a major London base within days of the Stargate pause, OpenAI appears to be separating its infrastructure frustrations from its broader UK strategy. Research, product development, and commercial operations will continue growing in the capital regardless of the data centre timeline. The message is clear: London remains central to OpenAI's plans, even if the UK's energy costs currently make large-scale computing infrastructure less attractive.
How Does This Affect London's AI Sector?
Analysis by Computer Weekly shows the UK now has more than 5,800 AI companies, representing an 85% increase from 2023 to 2025. The UK government's own sector study for 2024 recorded total AI sector revenue of £23.9 billion, a 68% increase year on year, with 86,139 people now employed in AI roles across the country.
London sits firmly at the centre of this growth. The capital and the South East account for roughly 75% of the UK's registered AI company locations, according to the same government data, and UK AI firms raised £6 billion in investment in 2025 alone. Around 23% of UK businesses now use some form of artificial intelligence, up from just 9% in 2023, driving demand across the economy for both AI talent and the workspaces to house them.
This rapid expansion creates specific demands on office space. AI companies typically need larger, more customised environments than early-stage startups, with requirements for enhanced security, dedicated infrastructure rooms, and flexible floor plans that adapt as teams grow. The scale of the OpenAI London office, designed for 544 people, illustrates how leading AI firms now operate. Companies facing similar growth challenges can explore enterprise office solutions designed for teams of 50 to 500 desks with bespoke fit-outs and managed services.
Where Are AI Companies Finding Office Space in London?
When a company valued at $852 billion signs a major lease in King's Cross, it sends a clear signal to the wider market. OpenAI's decision to secure 88,500 square feet of permanent space suggests strong confidence not only in London's AI talent pool but in the value of bringing teams together under one roof.
This trend extends beyond OpenAI. AI companies across London have expanded their office footprints over the past 18 months, driven by fast-growing headcounts and a preference for dedicated, professionally managed workspaces over short-term or shared arrangements. In our experience at Flexioffices, the most common enquiry from scaling AI firms is for managed office space, which offers the flexibility to brand and fit out a space to a company's own specification without the burden of managing a traditional commercial lease.
King's Cross continues to benefit most from this demand, but other London districts are gaining traction too. Areas like Shoreditch, Farringdon, and the South Bank all offer high-quality office stock with strong transport links and proximity to tech talent. For AI companies seeking office space in London, the key is matching the right type of workspace to the team's size, growth trajectory, and operational needs. Serviced offices suit teams that need to move quickly, while managed offices work better for larger groups that want full control over branding and layout.
Conclusion
The new OpenAI London office at King's Cross represents a significant milestone for both the company and the city. By committing to 88,500 square feet of permanent space and naming London as its largest research hub outside San Francisco, OpenAI has reinforced the capital's position as a leading centre for AI talent and innovation.
For London's office market, this is further evidence that major technology firms see long-term value in the city's workforce and infrastructure. Whether you are an AI startup building your first team or an established company scaling your UK operations, finding the right workspace matters. Compare serviced and managed office options to identify the solution that best fits your business.
FAQs
Where is the OpenAI London office located?
The OpenAI London office is at Regent Quarter in King's Cross, occupying Jahn Court and the Brassworks Building. The 88,500 square foot space sits in one of London's best-connected business districts, close to the UK offices of Google and Meta.
How many people will work at the OpenAI London office?
The new office has a capacity for 544 team members. OpenAI currently employs approximately 200 people in the UK, so the move will allow the company to more than double its headcount across research, engineering, sales, and other functions.
When will the new King's Cross office open?
OpenAI expects its new King's Cross office to open in 2027. Until then, the company continues to operate from its existing London premises with its current team of around 200 UK-based staff.
Why is King's Cross popular with tech companies?
King's Cross combines excellent transport links, an established tech community that includes Google and Meta, and a diverse range of high-quality office buildings. The area's successful regeneration over the past two decades has created one of London's most appealing mixed-use districts for businesses and their employees.
