Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati Launches Thinking Machines Lab with $2 Billion in Funding
Mira Murati, ex-CTO of OpenAI, raises $2 billion for her AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, aiming to innovate with multimodal AI.
Key Points
- • Mira Murati has secured $2 billion in funding for Thinking Machines Lab.
- • The funding was led by Andreessen Horowitz with notable participation from Nvidia and AMD.
- • The startup intends to develop multimodal AI for natural human interactions.
- • Thinking Machines Lab plans to introduce its first product in the coming months.
Mira Murati, who previously served as the chief technology officer at OpenAI, has achieved a remarkable funding milestone by securing $2 billion for her new venture, Thinking Machines Lab. This major announcement was made on July 15, 2025, indicating not only the robust backing for her startup but also the growing interest in innovative AI technologies.
The funding round was notably led by the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), supported by a diverse group of investors including tech giants Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Accel, ServiceNow, Cisco, and Jane Street. This backing underscores confidence in Murati's vision for the future of AI, which she articulated in a statement: "We believe AI should serve as an extension of individual agency and, in the spirit of freedom, be distributed as widely and equitably as possible."
Thinking Machines Lab aims to pioneer advancements in multimodal AI that enhance natural human interactions, integrating capabilities such as conversational and visual processing. Murati plans to unveil the startup's first product in the coming months, which includes an open-source segment designed for researchers and aspiring AI startups. This initiative reflects Murati’s commitment to fostering a collaborative research environment, promising to share valuable scientific insights that can propel the understanding of cutting-edge AI systems.
In background context, Murati became prominent during her brief tenure as interim CEO of OpenAI after the departure of Sam Altman in late 2023. After leaving the organization in September 2024, she founded Thinking Machines Lab in February 2025, remaining largely tight-lipped about its developments until this funding announcement.
As the AI landscape continues to evolve rapidly, Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab stands poised to make significant contributions, leveraging substantial funding to realize its ambitions in crafting user-centric AI technologies that foster interaction and accessibility.