The company behind ChatGPT is opening an office in London, its first outside the US, in a boost to Rishi Sunak’s bid to make Britain an artificial intelligence hub.

OpenAI said it had chosen the capital as its base due to a “vibrant technology ecosystem” and “exceptional talent” in London.  

The company is also hiring lobbyists in the UK, coming as ministers seek to make Britain a beacon for laws governing artificial intelligence. 

OpenAI has become the most prominent artificial intelligence company in the world after the release of ChatGPT last November. 

The chatbot has since amassed hundreds of millions of users and has led to warnings of job losses and widespread societal disruption.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s chief executive, visited the UK on a European tour last month and said he was scouting for an international office. He said he was considering locations including France.