OpenAI to make London its biggest research hub outside US

LONDON: ChatGPT maker OpenAI said on Thursday that it would make London its largest research hub outside the United States, citing Britain’s technology ecosystem as an ideal environment to invest in and develop new artificial intelligence systems.

The move feeds into Britain’s push to cast itself as an “AI superpower” and a home for cutting-edge research at a time when governments are vying for investment from major model developers.

Mark Chen, OpenAI’s research chief, said the country’s mix of talent, leading universities and globally respected scientific institutions gives it leverage in a sector governments worldwide view as strategically important.

Technology minister Liz Kendall said OpenAI’s expansion in London was a “huge vote of confidence.”

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“It also reaffirms the UK’s global leadership as the place to pursue AI innovation that is both safe and transformative,” Kendall said in a statement.

OpenAI did not set out specific details on the plan, such as the size of any investment or the number of jobs it would involve. It currently has over 30 employees in its London team.

The company, whose European headquarters are in Dublin, opened its first international office in London in 2023, with its teams working on the software and infrastructure needed to develop and run its AI models.