OpenAI has officially arrived in Australia, with its first office in Sydney.
The launch brought together senior leaders from business, government and the technology sector in Sydney today to mark what the company describes as a long-term commitment to the region.
The capitalising move comes as Australia rapidly becomes one of OpenAI’s fastest-growing markets.
Weekly active ChatGPT users have more than doubled in the past year, placing Australia among the top ten markets globally for paid subscribers and in the top ten developer markets building on OpenAI’s platform.
The event featured remarks from Canva CEO and Co-Founder Melanie Perkins, NSW Treasurer The Hon Daniel Mookhey, and CommBank Group Executive, Group Strategy, Stuart Munro.
A long-term commitment to Australia
Speaking at the launch, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon said the company’s Sydney presence reflects Australia’s readiness to lead globally in AI.
“Australia is well-placed to lead the world in AI. It has a history of early technology adoption, a world-class developer community, and a clear ambition to lift productivity.
“By opening our first office in Sydney, we are investing in local talent and working directly with Australian businesses, government and the tech community to turn that potential into real economic and societal gains,” Kwon said.
The Australian team will initially focus on local customer and partner support, with plans to expand into more specialised technical roles over time.
NSW Treasurer The Hon Daniel Mookhey said the launch reinforces the state’s position as a leading technology hub.
“Sydney is Australia’s digital capital, backed by world-class talent and strong government investment – and OpenAI’s arrival here takes that even further.”
An AI-powered Australia
More than a dozen Australian organisations across banking, retail, aviation, mining, education, design and sport are already collaborating with OpenAI on AI-driven transformations.
Key partnerships highlighted include:
CommBank – A strategic multi-year partnership supporting fraud detection and personalisation, and the rollout of ChatGPT Enterprise to 48,000 employees.
Coles – Using GPT-5 tools across corporate teams and exploring customer-experience applications spanning planning, shopping and checkout.
Wesfarmers – Deploying ChatGPT Enterprise to 118,000 team members across Bunnings, Kmart, Target, Officeworks and other businesses.
Canva – Deep OpenAI integrations across products, alongside daily use of ChatGPT Enterprise by its 5,000-plus workforce.
Air New Zealand – Improving customer self-service and integrated planning across aircraft maintenance and operations.
La Trobe University – Preparing for a full rollout of ChatGPT Edu by 2027 and introducing Australia’s first AI-focused MBA.
NRL – Partnering with OpenAI to co-develop the AI Volunteer Guide to reduce admin and streamline community sport operations.
Virgin Australia – Using developer tools to explore new ways travellers plan and book flights within ChatGPT.
Fortescue – Adopting ChatGPT Enterprise and exploring AI applications across mine, rail and port operations.
REA Group – Powering new consumer experiences across realestate.com.au, including next-generation search and guidance tools.
OpenAI will host its first Sydney Founder Day tomorrow, bringing together local developers for product deep dives, demos and guidance on building with OpenAI’s models.
The event marks the beginning of a new startup program in Australia, delivered in partnership with local venture capital firms, offering API credits and mentoring to early-stage founders
Code Red
The launch comes on the back of revelations that founder Sam Altman pulled a “code red” at OpenAI, ordering a company-wide push to sharpen ChatGPT amid competition from rival models.
Tech outlet The Information reports the CEO told staff in an internal memo that “we are at a critical time for ChatGPT”, signalling a shift in priorities as the San Francisco company scrambles to respond to Google’s breakout success with Gemini 3.
The new Google model has surged ahead on key benchmarks, and Altman has warned internally that its momentum could trigger “temporary economic headwinds” for OpenAI. “I expect the vibes out there to be rough for a bit,” he told employees last month.
According to the report, OpenAI is now funnelling more internal resources into improving ChatGPT, pausing or slowing other projects as it races to keep its flagship product on top.