Former Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI, Mira Murati has launched a new artificial intelligence startup, Thinking Machines Lab, with a team of around 30 top researchers and engineers from major AI firms, including OpenAI, Meta, and Mistral.
The startup aims to develop AI systems that align with human values while catering to a broader range of applications than its competitors, according to a blog post released on Tuesday.
Murati’s ability to attract talent from her former employer is evident, with approximately two-thirds of the new company’s workforce made up of ex-OpenAI employees. Among them is Barret Zoph, a prominent researcher who departed OpenAI on the same day as Murati in late September. Zoph will take on the role of Chief Technology Officer at Thinking Machines Lab.
Another key figure joining the startup is John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, who will serve as its Chief Scientist. Schulman had previously moved to OpenAI rival Anthropic in August, citing his desire to focus on AI alignment—the process of ensuring AI systems adhere to human values, a central goal of Murati’s new venture.
More former OpenAI employees are expected to join, according to sources who spoke to Reuters anonymously.
The company is reportedly in discussions to secure venture capital funding, adding to a growing trend of ex-OpenAI executives launching their own AI firms. Startups like Anthropic and Safe Superintelligence—both founded by former OpenAI researchers—have already raised billions in investment.
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Thinking Machines Lab says it differentiates itself from competitors through a co-design approach, integrating research and product development teams from the outset. It has also pledged to contribute to AI alignment research by openly sharing code, datasets, and model specifications.
“While current AI systems perform exceptionally well in areas like programming and mathematics, our goal is to create AI that can adapt across a wider range of human expertise and applications,” the company said.
Murati, who joined OpenAI in 2018, played a key role in the development of ChatGPT and was a well-known public face of the company alongside CEO Sam Altman. Her abrupt departure was part of a series of high-profile exits following changes to OpenAI’s governance structure.
Before her tenure at OpenAI, Murati worked at Tesla and augmented reality startup Leap Motion.
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