OpenAI London salaries average £2.3m per employee in 2025

OpenAI’s London operation paid out an eye-popping average of about £2.3 million per employee in 2025 when you include salaries and share-based awards. The figure comes from OpenAI UK Ltd’s accounts, and it highlights how London remains a key hub for the company outside the United States.

The numbers, reported by The Guardian, show that the London office paid £87 million in salaries and £168 million in shares in 2025, with a total turnover of £293 million and a profit of £20.3 million. The breakdown suggests a wide spread between the highest earners, likely researchers and senior staff, and the rest of the team, a common pattern in AI labs where equity and large cash salaries can dramatically boost total compensation for top roles.

OpenAI acknowledged the Guardian’s reporting but did not offer additional comment. This is typical in UK accounts where some details are disclosed while others are kept private. In London, the company has its Westminster office and is expanding with a new headquarters in King’s Cross, underscoring the capital’s importance to OpenAI’s international operations.

London has long been OpenAI’s largest international research hub, and the accounts indicate the city plays a central role beyond research, housing government affairs, sales and marketing. The company’s leadership in the region includes high-profile hires and a growing footprint in a city known for both tech talent and policy influence.

For readers, the broader takeaway isn’t just a salary snapshot. It shows how competitive AI talent remains and how equity-based compensation can dwarf base pay in top labs. It also signals that London could stay a magnet for researchers and policy specialists as AI grows more integrated into business and government work in the UK.

What you should know as a reader: these numbers reflect a company-specific UK filing and may not translate to salaries seen by staff in other regions or at different roles. They do not necessarily indicate typical compensation across the UK tech sector and should be read in the context of large AI labs pushing for the best talent.

What happens next? OpenAI is pursuing new funding rounds at a high valuation as it eyes a possible stock market listing. The company’s UK footprint will likely continue expanding, given the reported turnover and profit in 2025.