HomeWinBuzzer NewsEx-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati's Startup Shakes Up AI Talent Pool

Ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s Startup Shakes Up AI Talent Pool

Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has recruited top researchers and engineers for her own AI startup, which focuses on AGI and ethical development.

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Mira Murati, the former Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI, is quietly building a new artificial intelligence research startup with a focus on developing artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Her venture, still in its formative stages, has already attracted key talent from leading AI companies, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Character AI.

Among the most notable recruits is Jonathan Lachman, formerly the head of special projects at OpenAI, reports Wired. The new initiative, seeking to raise $100 million in funding, is a bold step in a competitive and rapidly evolving sector.

Murati’s departure from OpenAI in September 2024 marked a turning point in her career. In a farewell letter to colleagues, she wrote, “There’s never an ideal time to step away from a place one cherishes. … I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration.”

Her departure followed six and a half years of leadership at OpenAI, where she spearheaded transformative projects like ChatGPT and DALL-E.

OpenAI Leadership Legacy and Exodus

Murati’s tenure at OpenAI was characterized by both groundbreaking advancements and moments of high-stakes decision-making. One of her most prominent roles came during a brief but tumultuous period in November 2023.

During this episode, CEO Sam Altman was abruptly removed by OpenAI’s board of directors, leading to widespread uncertainty within the organization. Murati stepped in as interim CEO, guiding the company during a pivotal weekend. Altman later described this as “the low point” of his career, though he commended Murati’s handling of the chaos.

Her decision to leave OpenAI coincided with other significant leadership changes. Bob McGrew, the Chief Research Officer, and Barret Zoph, the Vice President of Research, both announced their departures within weeks of Murati.

In May 2024, Ilya Sutskever, a co-founder of OpenAI and its former Chief Scientist, had already exited the organization. Sutskever’s new startup, Safe Superintelligence, raised $1 billion within three months, underscoring the growing trend of OpenAI alumni launching their own ventures.

OpenAI’s Internal Tensions and Scaling Challenges

Since late 2023, OpenAI has undergone rapid expansion, growing its workforce from under 800 employees to nearly 1,800. This period of growth has been marked by internal tensions between teams focused on safety and those pushing for rapid commercialization.

Employees from OpenAI’s safety division raised concerns about the accelerated release of models like GPT-4o and o1, arguing that these systems were not sufficiently tested before deployment. The push for faster rollouts reflects a broader strategic shift within OpenAI, where maintaining market leadership has sometimes clashed with ensuring product safety.

Adding to these challenges are the strained relations with Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest investor. Despite a $13 billion commitment, Microsoft began exploring alternative AI investments, citing resource and strategic disagreements.

Notably, their partnership includes a clause that allows OpenAI to sever ties if it achieves AGI—a provision that has created tension as OpenAI continues courting new funding from investors like Nvidia and Apple.

Murati’s Vision and the Broader AI Talent Shift

Murati’s new venture reflects a broader migration of talent within the AI industry. Her recruitment efforts have drawn researchers and engineers from major companies, signaling her commitment to assembling a team capable of tackling AGI.

While details about the startup’s specific objectives remain sparse, industry insiders suggest it will focus on creating foundational AI models that prioritize safety, reasoning, and adaptability.

AGI, often described as the ability of a machine to perform any intellectual task that a human can, remains an aspirational goal for the industry. Achieving AGI would require breakthroughs in reasoning systems, data efficiency, and safety protocols.

Murati’s focus on these areas places her startup at the forefront of addressing both technical and ethical challenges in AI development.

This trend is not unique to Murati. Anthropic, a company led by former OpenAI executives, has raised over $8 billion in funding, including a significant investment from Amazon. Meanwhile, Safe Superintelligence, under Ilya Sutskever’s leadership, aims to address the safety challenges associated with advanced AI systems.

These ventures highlight a shift in the industry, where former OpenAI leaders are charting new paths that emphasize ethics and long-term goals.

Implications for OpenAI and the AI Industry

Murati’s departure, alongside other key figures, poses questions about OpenAI’s future direction. The company’s rapid commercialization and scaling have placed it under scrutiny, particularly as it seeks a valuation exceeding $150 billion.

Thrive Capital, a major investor, has committed $1 billion to this effort, but internal divisions and external pressures could complicate its trajectory.

At the same time, startups like Murati’s are redefining the AI landscape. By prioritizing AGI and assembling specialized teams, these ventures are likely to influence the broader direction of AI research. With increasing attention on safety, reasoning capabilities, and ethical development, the industry is undergoing a significant transformation.

Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus has been covering the tech industry for more than 15 years. He is holding a Master´s degree in International Economics and is the founder and managing editor of Winbuzzer.com.

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