Former Openai CTO Mira Murati has officially launched Thinking Machines Lab, an AI research company that is “more widely understood, customizable, and generally capable” of AI systems. The startup came out of Stealth last week and has already attracted serious investors’ attention, with fundraising aiming to be valued at $9 billion.
The launch will take place five months after Murati, an engineer with a Dartmouth education that is rich in AI experiences, resigns more than six years later.
Murati’s vision for AI
Thinking Machines Lab is set up to build AI models that focus on human-AI collaboration. The company has made clear that open science will become the core principle, along with plans to publish specifications for research papers, datasets and models. Murati has framed the startup in an effort to fill the gap in AI accessibility, saying, “To fill the gap, we are building a Thinking Machine Lab to make AI systems more broadly understood, customizable and generally competent.”
Before leaving Openai, Murati worked on projects such as ChatGpt and other AI research initiatives for over six years. She intervened temporarily as intervening as interim CEO when Openai’s board fired Sam Altman, but returned to the role of CTO after he was revived. Her departure six months ago had made many wonder about her next move.
Heavyweight AI Team
The startup attracted a stacked lineup of AI researchers from Openai and other leading AI companies. Key recruitment includes:
John Schulman – co-creating ChatGpt, currently Chief Scientist Barrett Zoff – former Openai VP of Research and now Chief Technology Director Jonathan Lachman – former Openai Special Project Head Alexander Kirillov – worked on ChatGpt’s voice mode
According to a wired report, the company’s first 10 recruiting includes senior open executives as well as talent from Google Deepmind and Character AI. Murati also brings in the meta and human engineers and researchers, indicating that this is not a small operation.
Mira Murati AI’s startup thinking machine $9 billion
Thinking Machines Lab reportedly raises $1 billion in funding at a valuation of around $9 billion, a source familiar with the matter told Business Insider. For startups that just launched, this figure is impressive, but investors continue to support AI ventures, especially those led by former Openai insiders.
A Murati spokesman declined to comment on the details of the funding, but sources close to the issue confirmed that the debate is ongoing and conditions could still change.
Another Openai breakaway
Murati is the latest open veteran to set up a new company.
Ilya Sutskever, former Chief Scientist and co-founder of Openai, left in May 2024 and quickly launched Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI). Both former Openai employees Dario and Daniela Amodei left to start humanity a few years ago.
By the end of last year, only three of Openai’s 11 original co-founders were with the company, according to Verge.
Why is it important?
Thinking Machines Lab has the talent, funding and ambition to become a serious player in AI research. The commitment to open science highlights it when many AI labs move towards their own more closed systems.
The startups are still in their early days, but with a team that is run by Murati at the helm and packed with AI veterans, it could shape the next phase of AI development. If the funding round is closed with a reported assessment, Thinking Machines Lab will instantly become one of the most valuable AI startups to emerge from Openai’s alumni network.
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