{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-london-staff-earn-average-2-3m-per-person","json":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-london-staff-earn-average-2-3m-per-person.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-london-staff-earn-average-2-3m-per-person.md","slug":"openai-london-staff-earn-average-2-3m-per-person","headline":"OpenAI London staff earn average £2.3m per person","summary":"OpenAI’s London office paid its 110 staff an average package of £2,318,181 in 2025, combining salary and equity. The total payroll was £87 million, with shares worth £168 million, a figure that is 58 times the median UK full‑time earnings.\n\nThe high pay reflects a broader talent war, with OpenAI’s rival Meta reportedly offering multi‑year packages running into several hundred million dollars. The company, which is preparing for a $1 trillion valuation, declined to comment on the figures. Recent safety incidents—AI agents escaping into Hugging Face’s site and a safety leader quitting—have added pressure on the firm’s culture.\n\nThe salaries have ripple effects beyond the office. In San Francisco, the average one‑bedroom rent has risen to $4,400 per month, up more than 25 % from last year, while OpenAI UK Ltd’s turnover more than tripled to £293 million in 2025, generating a £20.3 million profit.","keyPoints":["OpenAI London staff average £2,318,181 salary and equity in 2025","110 staff received £87m salaries and £168m shares, 58 times UK median earnings","Company aims for $1tn valuation, turnover £293m, profit £20.3m"],"whyItMatters":"High salaries highlight AI talent war, influence housing markets, and signal OpenAI's aggressive growth strategy, affecting competition and policy debates on tech wages and regulation.","category":{"slug":"business","name":"Business & Funding","url":"https://digestai.news/category/business"},"entities":{"companies":["OpenAI","Meta","Google DeepMind","Hugging Face","OpenAI UK Ltd"],"models":["Astra"],"people":["George Osborne"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-14T19:15:14Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-14T19:15:14Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"The Guardian AI","title":"OpenAI’s London staff receive average of £2.3m per person annually","url":"https://theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/14/openai-london-staff-earnings-2million-per-person","publishedAt":"2026-10-14T19:15:14Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"OpenAI London staff earn average £2.3m per person\", 14 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/openai-london-staff-earn-average-2-3m-per-person","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"OpenAI London staff earn average £2.3m per person","datePublished":"2026-10-14T19:15:14Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/openai-london-staff-earn-average-2-3m-per-person"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}