Mira Murati’s post-OpenAI move: New AI startup, $100M in the works

Mira Murati, the former Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI, is stepping into a new chapter, reportedly raising substantial venture capital funding for her own AI startup. According to Reuters, Murati is in the process of securing over $100 million to fuel the creation of proprietary AI models and products, potentially positioning her new company as a major player in the AI scene.

Murati’s decision to leave OpenAI, a company she helped shape over the years, sent ripples through the tech community last month. As one of the most prominent figures in the AI world, her departure raised questions about what’s next for the visionary leader. In a message shared on X (formerly Twitter) following her resignation, Murati reflected on her time at OpenAI, stating that the organization had “fundamentally changed how AI systems learn and reason through complex problems.” However, she noted that her decision to step away was driven by a desire to explore new horizons, adding, “I’m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration.”

Though she has yet to reveal specific details about her new venture, the buzz surrounding her next move is palpable. Murati’s leadership and expertise have already proven to be game-changing within the AI space. During her tenure at OpenAI, she oversaw critical developments that transformed the company into a leader in artificial intelligence research and application. She was instrumental in pushing the boundaries of AI technology, helping to shape systems that revolutionized machine learning and reasoning capabilities.

Murati’s impressive career predates her time at OpenAI. Before joining the company as Vice President of Applied AI and Partnerships in 2018, she held high-profile positions at Tesla, where she contributed to the development of the Model X, and at Leap Motion, where she worked on groundbreaking human-computer interaction technology. Her promotion to CTO at OpenAI in 2022 solidified her as a leading voice in the field, and she briefly stepped into the role of interim CEO during Sam Altman’s brief ouster, a testament to her leadership and trust within the organization.

Her departure is part of a broader trend of leadership shakeups at OpenAI. Hours after Murati announced her exit, OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer and Vice President of Research also revealed they would be leaving the company. Despite these high-profile departures, OpenAI continues to thrive. Just a week later, the company raised an unprecedented $6.6 billion in venture capital funding—the largest VC round in history—further cementing its dominance in the AI space.

Murati’s new venture, though still shrouded in secrecy, has already attracted significant interest from investors, and for good reason. Her extensive background and contributions to some of the most advanced AI projects in the world suggest that whatever she builds next will likely be ambitious and transformative. The focus on proprietary AI models hints at a company that aims to carve out its own niche in the increasingly crowded AI market, potentially competing with the likes of OpenAI and other tech giants.

Featured image credit: Christie Hemm Lokk for Fortune