OpenAI’s London staff receive average of £2.3m per person annually
OpenAI’s 110 London-based staff received an average of £2.32m each in salary and shares in 2025, according to the company’s UK accounts. The figures highlight the intense competition for AI talent and the high cost of building advanced models as OpenAI seeks to expand its global position.
The staff shared £87m in salaries and £168m in shares, a combined average reported as 58 times median UK full-time earnings; packages vary widely, with the largest going to researchers. Average pay and equity rose from £1.1m the previous year. OpenAI UK’s turnover more than trebled to £293m, and it made a £20.3m profit.
- OpenAI London staff averaged £2.32m in pay and shares in 2025.
- The 110 employees shared £255m in salary and equity.
- UK turnover more than trebled to £293m.
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OpenAI is an artificial intelligence company that develops systems such as ChatGPT. Its London office is part of a global business that competes with other technology firms to hire people who can build and improve advanced AI models.
Staff pay can include shares as well as salary, and the value of shares may change over time. Researchers and other specialists are in demand across the technology industry, so companies may offer substantial pay packages to attract and keep them.
The UK accounts also report the London operation’s turnover and profit. These figures provide a snapshot of its business in Britain, while the wider competition over AI talent reflects the costs involved in developing and running advanced systems.
Both sides, in good faith
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The case for
Exceptional pay and shares can be a rational way to recruit and retain scarce researchers in a fiercely competitive AI market, where a small number of specialists may materially affect a company’s products and prospects. OpenAI’s rapid growth and reported profit suggest it is generating substantial commercial value, and equity rewards staff partly for the risks and long-term success of the business.
The case against
Packages averaging £2.32m, alongside sharp year-on-year growth, raise fair questions about how the gains from AI are distributed when typical UK earnings are far lower. Critics may argue that such rewards reflect the bargaining power of a small group more than the wider contribution of workers and society, and that the industry should face scrutiny over whether its costs and benefits are shared fairly.
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