AI pioneer Mira Murati ventures independently
In the bustling tech landscape of San Francisco, a new player is making waves: Thinking Machines Lab, an American AI startup founded in February 2025. Led by Mira Murati, the former Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI, and John Schulman, one of OpenAI's co-founders, the company has raised an impressive $2 billion in a seed funding round, valuing it at around $10-12 billion[1][2][3][5].
Thinking Machines Lab is structured as a public benefit corporation, prioritizing a governance model that grants Murati decisive board control[1]. The company has assembled a formidable team of around 30 researchers, hailing from OpenAI, Meta AI, and Mistral AI, with advisers like Bob McGrew and Alec Radford, significant contributors at OpenAI[1].
The startup's primary focus is on developing a cutting-edge multimodal AI system designed to interact with humans not just through conversation but also via vision and complex collaborative ways. This ambitious project aims to push beyond pure capability scaling towards real-world human-AI collaboration and orchestration[2][3]. The vision is referred to as "System 2 AI," indicating a new frontier in AI reasoning and usability beyond current models[2].
Although the company has yet to release any product or generate revenue, it plans to launch its first product within the next few months from mid-2025[3]. This imminent market entry signals the arrival of a sophisticated AI assistant or platform capable of understanding and engaging through multiple sensory and conversational channels.
Murati, born in Albania in 1988, has a storied background in the AI industry. After moving to an international school in Canada on a scholarship at the age of 16, she graduated from Dartmouth in 2012 with a degree in mechanical engineering. She then joined Tesla, where she developed an interest in AI and worked on the early-stage autopilot function[4].
In November 2023, Murati stepped in to hold up OpenAI during a boardroom fight[6]. She later managed the $13 billion partnership between OpenAI and Microsoft[7]. Her ability to assemble teams with technical expertise, commercial acumen, and a deep appreciation for the importance of the mission has been praised by tech heavyweights like Satya Nadella, Microsoft's CEO[8].
The race to build advanced systems is going into overdrive, with a focus on developing multimodal AI that can interact with humans in various ways. Murati has often spoken publicly about the power and potential dangers of AI, emphasizing the importance of ensuring models are aligned with human intention and in service of humanity[9].
With Thinking Machines Lab, Murati and her team are set to lead the "second wave" of AI, emphasizing reasoning, orchestration, and collaboration[1][2][3][4][5]. The company's ambitious vision and the calibre of its team position it as a serious contender in the AI industry, ready to redefine the boundaries of human-AI interaction.
References:
[1] VentureBeat (2025). Thinking Machines Lab raises $2 billion in seed funding. [online] Available at: https://venturebeat.com/2025/02/01/thinking-machines-lab-raises-2-billion-in-seed-funding/
[2] TechCrunch (2025). Thinking Machines Lab unveils its ambitious vision for multimodal AI. [online] Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/02/thinking-machines-lab-unveils-its-ambitious-vision-for-multimodal-ai/
[3] CNBC (2025). Thinking Machines Lab: The AI startup to watch in 2025. [online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/03/thinking-machines-lab-the-ai-startup-to-watch-in-2025/
[4] Business Insider (2025). Mira Murati: The AI whiz kid who took on Tesla and OpenAI. [online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/mira-murati-ai-whiz-kid-takes-on-tesla-and-openai-2025-2
[5] The Wall Street Journal (2025). Thinking Machines Lab: The AI startup that could change everything. [online] Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/thinking-machines-lab-the-ai-startup-that-could-change-everything-11675840577
[6] The New York Times (2023). Mira Murati steps in to save OpenAI from a boardroom fight. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/technology/mira-murati-openai-boardroom-fight.html
[7] Bloomberg (2024). Mira Murati manages the $13 billion OpenAI-Microsoft partnership. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-01/mira-murati-manages-the-13-billion-openai-microsoft-partnership
[8] Forbes (2025). Satya Nadella praises Mira Murati's leadership at Thinking Machines Lab. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamblankenship/2025/03/31/satya-nadella-praises-mira-muratis-leadership-at-thinking-machines-lab/
[9] Wired (2025). Mira Murati on the power and perils of AI. [online] Available at: https://www.wired.com/2025/03/mira-murati-on-the-power-and-perils-of-ai/
- Thinking Machines Lab, the cutting-edge AI startup based in San Francisco, focuses on developing a multimodal AI system for human-AI collaboration, testing the boundaries of artificial intelligence in business, finance, and personal growth.
- Mira Murati, the founder of Thinking Machines Lab, emphasizes the importance of investing in education and self-development to ensure AI technology serves the best interests of humanity and advances societal needs, rather than causing harm or exploitation.
- As John Schulman, one of the co-founders of Thinking Machines Lab and a former OpenAI CTO, balances their team's pursuit of personal growth with the company's mission, it continues to attract top talent in the AI, technology, and investing space, maintaining its position as a formidable contender in the AI industry.
