Mira Murati, a former chief technology officer of OpenAI, has founded a new artificial intelligence startup called Thinking Machines Lab. The company aims to make AI systems more widely understood, customizable, and capable. According to its blog post, Thinking Machines Lab plans to freely share its technologies with outside researchers and companies through an open-source practice.
Murati, 36, left OpenAI in September after the surprise ouster of its chief executive Sam Altman, who was later reinstated. Some former OpenAI executives, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever, have since created their own AI companies. The global race to build increasingly powerful AI technologies is on, with giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft also investing in the field.
OpenAI gained international attention last year with the release of ChatGPT, an online chatbot that can answer questions, write term papers, and mimic human conversation. However, Altman’s removal sparked controversy over his management style. Murati had previously written a private memo to Altman, raising concerns about his leadership, but she later denied any wrongdoing.
Thinking Machines Lab is the latest addition to the growing list of AI startups, as the technology continues to shape industries and society. The new company will likely be watched closely by industry observers and researchers alike.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/technology/openai-mira-murati-startup.html