Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab Hits $10B Valuation with $2B Funding
▼ Summary
– Thinking Machines Lab, founded by ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, raised a $2 billion seed round, valuing the startup at $10 billion.
– The company’s work is undisclosed, but it attracted investors using Murati’s reputation and high-profile AI researchers.
– Andreessen Horowitz led the funding round, with participation from Sarah Guo’s Conviction Partners.
– Murati left OpenAI after developing key AI products like ChatGPT and DALL-E, and several ex-colleagues joined her new startup.
– Murati was among executives who raised concerns about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, briefly serving as interim CEO during his 2023 ousting.
Thinking Machines Lab, the cutting-edge artificial intelligence venture launched by Mira Murati, OpenAI’s former chief technology officer, has achieved a staggering $10 billion valuation after securing $2 billion in seed funding. This massive investment round, reportedly led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Sarah Guo’s Conviction Partners, marks one of the largest seed financings ever recorded for a startup at this stage.
The company, barely six months old, has managed to attract significant investor interest despite keeping its research agenda under wraps. Murati’s stellar reputation in AI development, having spearheaded breakthroughs like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and voice mode at OpenAI, has played a pivotal role in securing this unprecedented funding. Several high-profile researchers from OpenAI, including co-founder John Schulman, have also joined the new venture, adding further credibility to its ambitions.
Murati’s departure from OpenAI last September followed internal tensions surrounding CEO Sam Altman’s leadership. During the brief period when Altman was ousted in November 2023, she stepped in as interim CEO before his swift reinstatement. Her move to establish Thinking Machines Lab signals a bold new direction in AI innovation, though details about the company’s specific projects remain tightly guarded.
With this latest funding milestone, the startup is poised to make waves in the AI sector, though the exact nature of its work continues to fuel speculation. Investors appear confident in Murati’s vision, betting big on her ability to push the boundaries of machine intelligence once again.
(Source: TechCrunch)
