Mira Murati launches AI startup, thinking machines lab, drawing pop talent from OpenAI

Feb 18, 2025 – In a significant move in the competitive AI landscape, former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati has launched Thinking Machines Lab, an AI startup assembling a team of about 30 leading researchers and engineers.

Roughly two-thirds of the team consists of former OpenAI employees, including prominent researcher Barret Zoph, who left the ChatGPT maker on the same day as Murati last September and will serve as the startup’s technology chief.

Thinking Machines Lab aims to develop artificial intelligence systems that encode human values and support a broader range of applications than those offered by current models. The startup emphasizes a collaborative approach between its research and product teams and has committed to advancing AI alignment by sharing code, datasets, and model specifications.

Among the new venture’s key hires is John Schulman, an OpenAI co-founder who recently departed for rival Anthropic to focus on AI alignment. More OpenAI employees are expected to join, according to sources familiar with the matter, as Murati’s startup continues to attract talent from across the industry.

Murati, who played a central role in the development of ChatGPT since joining OpenAI in June 2018, now leads Thinking Machines Lab as CEO. Her departure was part of a series of high-profile exits during OpenAI’s recent governance changes. Prior to her tenure at OpenAI, Murati held positions at augmented reality startup Leap Motion and Tesla.

The launch of Thinking Machines Lab highlights the intensifying competition in the generative AI sector, with several former OpenAI executives launching startups amid growing interest in AI safety and alignment. The company is currently in discussions with venture capital investors and is positioning itself as a key player capable of tackling a broader spectrum of human expertise through innovative AI applications.

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