Who Is Mira Murati? Ex-OpenAI Leader Takes On Her Former Employer With New AI Venture

The AI industry is closely watching as Mira Murati, a former OpenAI executive, launches a new venture and prepares to compete with her former company.

Murati, 36, previously served as OpenAI's chief technology officer. She is now leading a rival AI startup with the aim of making the technology more accessible to a wider audience. On 18th February, she unveiled her new company, Thinking Machines Lab—a research and product-focused firm dedicated to developing AI systems that are more widely understood, customisable, and generally more capable.

A New Chapter In AI: Thinking Machines Lab

'Knowledge of how these systems are trained is concentrated within the top research labs, limiting both the public discourse on AI and people's abilities to use AI effectively,' a blog post on the company's website states.

The San Francisco-based Thinking Machines Lab has roped in some of OpenAI's top people, including co-founder John Schulman, ex-head of special projects Jonathan Lachman, and former VP Barret Zoph.

In addition to the OpenAI recruits, Murati has recruited researchers and engineers from other leading AI companies, such as Google, Meta, Mistral, and Character AI. These new hires will develop AI models that specialise in science and programming.

'Scientific progress is a collective effort,' Thinking Machines Lab said. 'We believe that we'll most effectively advance humanity's understanding of AI by collaborating with the wider community of researchers and builders.'

Thinking Machines Lab also intends to release technical blog posts, papers, and code, explaining that 'sharing our work will not only benefit the public but also improve our own research culture.' With this new company making waves, the spotlight turns to its founder, Mira Murati.

Meet Mira Murati: The Visionary Behind Thinking Machines Lab

Murati spent over six years at OpenAI, where she led the development of ChatGPT as its own product and contributed to the company's groundbreaking work with large language models.

Murati briefly served as interim CEO of OpenAI in November 2023, stepping in after Altman's removal due to claims of insufficient honesty with the board. Altman was reinstated shortly after, following protests from staff and investors.

Murati announced her departure last year, citing a need for 'time and space' to explore her own ventures. She subsequently confirmed her decision on X, emphasising that it was a carefully considered choice.

'I'm stepping away to create time and space for my own exploration. My main priority now is to ensure a smooth transition and maintain our momentum,' Murati wrote.

Early Life And Academic Pursuits

Born in Vlorë, Albania, on 16th December 1988, Murati showed a strong aptitude for academics, particularly in math. She excelled in Olympiads and competitions throughout her school years. At 16, she earned a scholarship to Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Canada, graduating in 2005.

Murati continued her education in the US, completing a dual-degree program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Colby College in 2011 and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Dartmouth College in 2012. Microsoft's website describes Mira Murati as 'one of the most innovative tech leaders of our time.'

Professional Journey And Key Roles

Murati's career began with a brief stint at Zodiac Aerospace, followed by a role as a product manager for Tesla's Model X starting in 2013. She then spent two years, from 2016 to 2018, at the augmented reality company Leap Motion (now Ultraleap) before joining OpenAI.

Murati joined OpenAI's leadership in 2018 and has been a driving force behind its rise to prominence, especially after the 2022 public release of ChatGPT, which ignited an AI race in the tech industry.

With such a remarkable track record and a clear vision for the future of AI, expectations are sky-high for what Mira Murati will accomplish with Thinking Machines Lab. It will be interesting to see if she can replicate or surpass her past successes and truly democratise access to artificial intelligence.