OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the move was an "opportunity to attract world-class talent".
It comes after he criticised the EU's proposed legislation regulating artificial intelligence (AI), which would require companies to reveal the content used to train their systems.
The UK meanwhile is planning what it calls "pro-innovation" regulation.
"We are thrilled to extend our research and development footprint into London, a city globally renowned for its rich culture and exceptional talent pool," said Diane Yoon, OpenAI VP of People.
