Abdelrahman
Mira Murati, the former CTO of OpenAI, has unveiled her new startup focused on artificial intelligence.
Named Thinking Machines Lab, this newly launched company aims to develop tools that tailor AI solutions to meet individual needs and objectives. The goal is to create AI systems that are not only more comprehensible and adaptable but also more versatile than those currently on the market.
Mira Murati is leading Thinking Machines Lab as its CEO. She is joined by John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, who will serve as the chief scientist, and Barret Zoph, former chief research officer at OpenAI, who takes on the role of CTO.
In a blog post shared with TechCrunch, Thinking Machines Lab highlighted that while AI technology has progressed rapidly, there are still significant “key gaps” in understanding these advanced systems.
“The scientific community’s comprehension of cutting-edge AI remains behind these swift advancements,” the blog stated. “Knowledge about the training processes of these systems is confined to leading research institutions, which limits public discussions about AI and hinders people’s ability to utilize it effectively. Furthermore, despite their capabilities, these systems are challenging for individuals to personalize according to their distinct values and requirements.”
Thinking Machines Lab plans to concentrate on developing “multimodal” AI systems that work collaboratively with users, allowing for adaptability across a wide range of human expertise and applications, according to the blog post.
“Our focus is on creating models that push the boundaries of capabilities in fields like science and programming,” the blog added. “In the end, the most sophisticated models will lead to breakthroughs that can transform various applications, from innovative scientific discoveries to engineering advancements.”
AI safety is set to be another pivotal aspect of Thinking Machines Lab’s mission. The company aims to enhance safety by preventing the misuse of its models, sharing best practices for developing secure AI systems within the industry, and facilitating external research on alignment by providing access to code, datasets, and model specifications.
“We will prioritize understanding how our systems can generate real-world value,” stated Thinking Machines Lab in their blog. “Major breakthroughs often stem from re-evaluating our goals rather than merely optimizing existing measures.”
I co-founded Thinking Machines Lab with an exceptional team of scientists, engineers, and innovators. Our mission includes:
– Enabling users to customize AI systems for their specific needs
– Establishing robust foundations for more capable AI development
– Promoting a collaborative ecosystem…— Mira Murati (@miramurati) February 18, 2025
Joining OpenAI in 2018 as VP of applied AI and partnerships, she was elevated to CTO in 2022, where she oversaw the development of notable projects like ChatGPT, the text-to-image AI DALL-E, and the code-generating system Codex, which was integral to early versions of GitHub’s Copilot.
Murati briefly served as OpenAI’s interim CEO following the abrupt dismissal of CEO Sam Altman. Altman has referred to her as a close associate.
For months, there have been speculations about Murati recruiting prominent AI researchers for her startup. The blog for Thinking Machines Lab lists 29 employees from renowned organizations such as OpenAI, Character AI, and Google DeepMind.
Thinking Machines Lab is currently on the lookout for machine learning scientists and engineers, along with a research program manager, as detailed in a recent post from the company.
Reports previously indicated that Murati was negotiating to raise over $100 million from unidentified venture capital firms. However, the blog did not confirm or deny this information.
Before her time at OpenAI, Murati held the position of senior product manager for the Model X at Tesla for three years, during which she contributed to the initial versions of Autopilot, Tesla’s AI-driven driver-assist technology. She has also served as VP of product and engineering at Leap Motion, a company focused on hand and finger tracking motion sensors for computers.
Murati’s venture adds to an increasing list of former OpenAI executives who are launching new startups, including competitive endeavors like Ilya Sutskever’s Safe Superintelligence and Anthropic.
