OpenAI expands in Europe with first office in Germany

OpenAI, the organization behind the widely used AI tool ChatGPT, has revealed the launch of its first office in Germany, located in Munich.

This move is part of the company’s broader efforts to expand across Europe, with Germany playing a key role in the global AI sector, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Munich, a major tech hub home to giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Intel, is now welcoming OpenAI as the company seeks to strengthen its footprint in one of the top global markets for artificial intelligence. OpenAI noted that Germany is among the leading nations in AI adoption, with ChatGPT's user engagement in the country tripling over the past year.

Germany not only has the largest number of ChatGPT users in Europe but also ranks among the top five countries worldwide for chatbot usage. Additionally, the country leads Europe in the number of paid subscribers and is one of the top three nations outside the US for business clients utilizing OpenAI's services. OpenAI reports over 300 million active global users on a weekly basis, with more than one million paid business accounts.

While the precise location of the Munich office has not been disclosed, OpenAI plans to hire professionals across various fields, including sales, development, communications, and lobbying. The office is also expected to foster closer collaboration with local universities to drive innovation and research in AI. 

Sam Altman, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, highlighted Germany’s strong reputation for technological and industrial innovation, making it a natural leader in AI adoption. The office opening is designed to better support individuals, businesses, and institutions in tapping into the transformative power of AI technologies.

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company. Its mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

In 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT, a service capable of engaging in interactive dialogue with users. The service's capabilities quickly captured the public's attention, prompting companies worldwide to develop their own chatbots. All these companies are vying to be the first to create what is known as "strong AI," a type of artificial intelligence that scientists and developers believe will surpass human intelligence in its capabilities.

By Naila Huseynova