Mira Murati's new AI startup is set to be valued at $9 billion, sources say
Feb 26, 2025 - businessinsider.com
Mira Murati, former CTO of OpenAI, has launched a new startup called Thinking Machine Labs, which aims to raise $1 billion at a valuation of approximately $9 billion. The startup, which emerged from stealth last week, focuses on making AI more accessible and customizable. Murati has recruited a team of engineers and AI researchers from OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic, including notable figures like John Schulman and Jonathan Lachman. The unusually high valuation reflects investor enthusiasm for AI startups, particularly those founded by former OpenAI employees.
Murati's move follows her brief tenure as interim CEO of OpenAI after the board's temporary dismissal of Sam Altman in November 2023. Her new venture is part of a trend of former OpenAI executives launching their own companies, such as Ilya Sutskever's Safe Superintelligence Inc. and Dario and Daniela Amodei's Anthropic. Murati's blog post describes Thinking Machine Labs as an AI research and product lab dedicated to bridging gaps in AI understanding and capability.
Key takeaways:
Mira Murati, former CTO of OpenAI, has launched a new startup called Thinking Machine Labs.
The startup is aiming to raise $1 billion at a $9 billion valuation, despite being less than a year old.
Thinking Machine Labs focuses on making AI more accessible and has recruited talent from OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic.
Murati is among several former OpenAI executives who have started their own AI-focused companies.
