Former OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati is making headlines with her new venture, Thinking Machines Lab, as she seeks to raise over $2 billion in seed funding—a move that could set a new record for the largest seed round in history.
The startup has garnered significant attention due to Murati’s reputation and the elite team she has assembled, including several former OpenAI colleagues who played pivotal roles in developing ChatGPT. Notable team members include Bob McGrew, Alec Radford, John Schulman, Jonathan Lachman, Barret Zoph, and Alexander Kirillov.
Thinking Machines Lab is envisioned as a research and product lab focused on making AI systems more accessible, customizable, and capable. Despite not having a product yet, the startup’s ambitious fundraising goal reflects the soaring costs in the AI industry and the high demand for top-tier AI talent.
The company’s valuation is expected to reach at least $10 billion, although details remain fluid. Murati, who spent over six years at OpenAI and briefly served as interim CEO in 2023, has not publicly detailed how Thinking Machines will differentiate itself from competitors like OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and Google’s Gemini.
This significant fundraising effort underscores the intense competition and rapid growth in the generative AI sector, as startups and established companies alike vie for leadership in developing advanced AI technologies.
