Here’s a simple question you shouldn’t need AI to answer. Who is the co-founder of a startup that has raised $2 billion, the largest seed funding round in Silicon Valley history? Not sure.
Let me introduce you to Mira Murati, the co-founder and CTO of the AI startup Thinking Machines Lab. In her, we have someone who’s most likely going to change how you and I interact with AI and what we can do with it. I also think she is the most charismatic leader in Silicon Valley and that’s saying something.
Some months ago, Mark Zuckerberg offered to buy her company, and recently, one of Murati’s colleagues was offered $1 billion to lure him to join Meta’s Superintelligence Lab. But they all chose to walk away from it, driven by a belief in Thinking Machines Lab’s unique vision.
In a post on X, the Albanian-American explained the rationale behind her startup:
Helping people adapt AI systems to work for their specific needs.
Developing strong foundations to build more capable AI systems.
Fostering a culture of open science that helps the whole field understand and improve these systems.
The goal is to make a difference by advancing AI to make it “broadly useful and understandable through solid foundations, open science, and practical applications”, she says.
Murati was earlier the CTO at OpenAI, where she worked for six years and was at the forefront of the development of ChatGPT and DALL-E. When Sam Altman was temporarily removed from his position, Murati had stepped in as interim CEO.
What sets her apart?
Murati is not looking for a one-hit wonder to cash-in on the AI craze. Instead, she is building a framework, working alongside a diverse team of scientists, engineers and builders.
Despite not launching a product yet, her startup raised $2 billion in seed funding by July, at a $10 billion valuation. It is noteworthy, given that female-led startups often receive lower VC funding.
Unlike other AI leaders who hog the headlines, she lets her work do the talking. She barely makes appearances or gives viral interviews, and has been tight-lipped about her startup.
She pays top dollar for hiring talent, indicating that she is looking to build a skilled and quality-centric team.
She is one of the few women leaders in a field that has been dominated by men. A 2024 report by Randstad highlighted the divide within the AI workforce, with just 29% of AI-skilled workers being women.
Apart from being a startup founder, she has also been advising the European Commission on AI regulatory frameworks, thus playing a role in shaping the laws that will define AI.
In a world where money often talks the loudest, Murati and her team are quietly proving that long-term goals and solid leadership driven by trust matter more than quick gains.