OpenAI wants to turn London into the biggest hub of AI research
Market analysts estimate that total investment in the development of the European center could exceed $50 million in the next 18-24 months as OpenAI ramps up activity in the global context of competition with DeepMind and other labs.
According to the company, the expansion will strengthen its position in the battle for talent and reinforce Europe’s role in the global AI technology race, writes Reuters
A new milestone in OpenAI’s strategy
While the creator of ChatGPT has not officially disclosed the exact amount of investment, but analysts’ estimates take into account the cost of renting premises, attracting scientific staff and infrastructure for computing.
According to Reuters, the company’s London office currently has about 30 employees, but it plans to significantly expand its staff by recruiting researchers from leading British universities and research institutes.
The publication notes that the choice of London was not accidental. OpenAI is guided not only by market, but also by scientific considerations: The UK offers a combination of world-class academic institutions, a dense AI ecosystem, and a favorable legal environment for innovation. As Mark Chen, Head of Research at OpenAI, noted, “London attracts us with its combination of world-leading academia, leading universities and a strong culture of interdisciplinary collaboration – here we can develop key areas of AI research that will ensure a safe and useful future for the technology.”
This strategic choice is also linked to the UK’s efforts to strengthen its position on the global AI stage: the country is stepping up investment in research, encouraging startups and creating conditions for technology commercialization, which makes it attractive to international IT players.
How markets and investors will react
OpenAI’s expansion in London intensifies the competition for talent between the world’s major AI centers – San Francisco, London, Beijing and Zurich.
Analysts believe that the US giant’s increased presence in Europe could spur more venture capital investment in the region, especially in the AI startups and cloud computing segment. It is also noted that the focus on “safe and secure AI” also reflects the global trend towards technology regulation, which could attract additional public and private capital investment.
For investors, OpenAI’s overseas expansion signals a long-term strategy to monetize AI products across jurisdictions and increases the attractiveness of the UK technology market in an uncertain global economy.
