- London is fast becoming a big destination for US AI firms like Anthropic and OpenAI.
- Big tech companies have leased over one million square feet in the city since the beginning of 2025.
- Limited availability of office space remains a constraint for tech firms
OpenAI and Anthropic are among the latest to expand their offices in London as tech companies race to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the UK capital.
Both AI giants announced in recent months that they had taken larger office spaces in London. Earlier this week, vibe coding platform Cursor revealed its plans to open headquarters in London this summer.
Anthropic's new office will be located in the Knowledge Quarter area of London, which already houses properties leased by AI firms like Meta, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Wayve and Synthesia.
Over the coming months, Silicon Valley giant Google will also shift some teams into a new 11-storey building in Kings Cross. Other major US firms, like Salesforce and Databricks, are expanding their offices in the city, CNBC reported.
Big tech companies have leased over one million square feet in London since the beginning of 2025, Bloomberg stated, citing data compiled by real estate broker Knight Frank. The space is equivalent to 7% of all the lettings during that period.
Mike Wiseman, the head of campuses at British Land, told CNBC that “talent” is the main reason behind companies shifting to London. He explained that the city “has built a deep and mature technology ecosystem over many years, and if you're looking to scale a business internationally, it's one of the few markets globally that can support that level of growth.”
London is also one of the world's main financial centres, Frederic Groussolles, partner at executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, told the outlet. The city gives firms “ready access to venture, growth equity and corporate development networks,” he added.
However, office space remains a constraint for tech firms. Groussolles said that AI firms are competing with more traditional professional services and finance companies for the limited availability of top office locations.
Concerns are also emerging on whether the infrastructure required to support employees and the surge in compute demands can continue to match the pace of growth in investment.
Apart from AI firms, legal firms are also leasing office space in London. US law consultants increased the space they lease by 75% in the final quarter of 2025, as per data by Knight Frank.
Several large financial firms, like BlackRock, Jane Street Group and Bank of America have also been looking for fresh space in the city.
