Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati to raise $100 million for new AI startup

Mira Murati, former Chief Technology Officer at OpenAI, is reportedly in talks to raise funds for her new AI startup, according to sources cited by Reuters on Friday. Although we’ve been following Murati’s career closely, this funding news managed to slip past us.

The fundraising discussions are still in the early stages, but one source noted that Murati’s new venture could secure over $100 million, given her strong reputation and the significant resources required to train proprietary AI models. However, the exact figures have not yet been finalized.

Barret Zoph, a leading researcher who left OpenAI on the same day as Murati in late September, may also be involved in the new startup, the sources added, Reuters reported.

This news follows Murati’s departure from OpenAI just a month ago, where she served as CTO for over a year. According to the report, her new company is focused on building AI products powered by proprietary models. It’s still unclear whether Murati will step into the CEO role at the startup. A representative for Murati declined to comment.

The Information previously reported that Zoph is planning his own AI venture and that Murati has been actively recruiting OpenAI employees to join her new company.

A Dartmouth-trained engineer with extensive experience in AI, Murati is expected to remain a key player in the field, particularly in driving the ethical development of emerging technologies. Her exit has raised questions about OpenAI’s future direction as it undergoes significant changes.

During her six years at OpenAI, Murati led groundbreaking projects like ChatGPT and DALL-E, playing a crucial role in the company’s multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft, its biggest financial backer.

Murati’s rapid rise at OpenAI solidified her position as one of the top leaders in the AI space. She joined the company in June 2018 and was promoted to CTO in May 2022. Before her time at OpenAI, she worked at Leap Motion and Tesla, according to her LinkedIn profile.

As a public-facing figure, Murati often represented OpenAI alongside CEO Sam Altman. She led the launch of the GPT-4o model in May, showcasing its ability to conduct realistic voice conversations.

Her sudden resignation in late September was the latest in a series of high-profile exits as OpenAI undergoes a major overhaul, including shifting governance away from its non-profit board. Murati, who briefly served as interim CEO during last year’s leadership shake-up when Altman was ousted, said she left to pursue personal exploration.

Murati now joins a growing list of former OpenAI executives launching their own startups, including competitors like Anthropic and Safe Superintelligence. Her exit, along with others like co-founders Greg Brockman and John Schulman, has contributed to the uncertainty surrounding OpenAI’s future.

Originally from Albania, Murati brought her leadership skills and vision to OpenAI, driving some of its most transformative products, including ChatGPT and the DALL-E image generator. Beyond her work, she became a prominent public face for the company, representing it in numerous interviews and media appearances, further cementing her influence in the rapidly evolving AI industry.