OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has announced plans to open its first office in Spain later this year as demand for artificial intelligence continues to surge across the country.
The new base will be located in Madrid and marks a major expansion for the US technology firm, which says Spain has become one of its fastest-growing markets in Europe.
According to OpenAI, weekly active users in Spain have risen by more than 40% over the past year, making the country one of the five largest markets in Europe for ChatGPT and its other AI products.
The company said the Madrid office will allow it to better support its growing network of users, businesses, developers, universities and public sector partners.
OpenAI also plans to hire local staff for customer-facing, technical and public policy roles.
The firm’s head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Emmanuel Marill, described Spain as one of Europe’s most dynamic AI markets.
He said the country benefits from strong consumer demand, innovative businesses, a growing startup ecosystem and government support for artificial intelligence.
The announcement has been welcomed by the Spanish government.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said OpenAI’s decision was a vote of confidence in Spain’s economy, highlighting the country’s growth, competitive energy costs and highly skilled workforce.
Meanwhile, Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez said the move demonstrated that sensible AI regulation can attract investment rather than deter it, adding that Madrid is well positioned to become a leading hub for trustworthy artificial intelligence.
Several major Spanish organisations have already integrated OpenAI’s technology into their operations.
BBVA is rolling out ChatGPT Enterprise to its 120,000 employees across 25 countries following a pilot programme in which more than 80% of participants actively used the platform.
Meanwhile, Banco Santander is expanding the same technology to more than 30,000 employees working in areas including marketing, software development and customer service.
OpenAI’s influence is also growing in higher education. IE University and IESE Business School are introducing ChatGPT Edu across their academic communities, while Spanish HR technology company Factorial is exploring the use of OpenAI’s coding assistant Codex to speed up software development.
The company also revealed that use of Codex has increased dramatically in Spain, with weekly active users growing more than elevenfold since the start of 2026.
OpenAI said further details about the exact location of its Madrid office and recruitment plans will be announced in the coming months.
