OpenAI to open Sydney office as ChatGPT adoption surges

OpenAI, the US firm behind ChatGPT, will open its first Australian office in Sydney later this year as demand for generative AI accelerates and the federal government moves to make artificial intelligence a national priority.

The new base will give OpenAI a local presence in one of its fastest-growing markets. Weekly active ChatGPT users in Australia have grown 2.5 times over the past year, placing the country among the company’s top 10 markets globally for both paying subscribers and developers.

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“Australia’s government, businesses and world-class developer ecosystem are already shaping the future of AI,” said Brad Lightcap, chief operating officer at OpenAI. “We’re excited to expand our presence in Australia and build a local team to work closely with partners, customers and the millions of Australians who use ChatGPT daily.”

Globally, ChatGPT has been on a steep growth curve. Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT, revealed in a LinkedIn post three weeks ago that the service was on track to reach 700 million weekly active users, up from 500 million in March and quadruple its audience compared with a year earlier. OpenAI also reports more than five million paying business customers and four million developers building on its API platform.

In Australia, adoption is being driven by corporates including Commonwealth Bank, Atlassian and Canva, who are embedding OpenAI tools into products and services. CommBank signed a multi-year strategic partnership with the firm earlier this month.

The decision to establish a Sydney base follows discussions between OpenAI executives, Australia’s US ambassador Kevin Rudd and technology assistant minister Andrew Charlton in San Francisco. NSW innovation minister Anoulack Chanthivong welcomed the move, describing it as “the type of commitment” the state is seeking under its Industry Policy and Innovation Blueprint.

“There couldn’t be a better time for OpenAI to expand its global footprint into NSW as artificial intelligence enters an era of accelerated development and adoption,” Chanthivong said.

The announcement comes less than a week after Treasurer Jim Chalmers said AI would be made a national priority, with the government planning a legal “gap analysis” as it considers a dedicated AI act.

OpenAI has formally registered in Australia and begun hiring a local team, though details of the office location have not been disclosed. The company also plans to engage with local startups, researchers and the wider business community through events and partnerships.