Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab Closes $2B Seed Round at $10B Valuation

Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has secured a staggering $2 billion seed round, valuing the company at $10 billion. The funding round for the six-month-old startup, led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Sarah Guo’s Conviction Partners, marks one of the largest seed rounds in history.

The news, initially reported by The Financial Times, highlights the significant investor confidence in Murati’s vision and team. However, the specific work being undertaken by Thinking Machines Lab remains largely undisclosed, adding an element of intrigue to the substantial investment.

Murati’s departure from OpenAI in September 2024 followed her leadership in developing key AI products like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and voice mode. Her reputation and the recruitment of other high-profile AI researchers from OpenAI appear to be major factors in attracting such significant funding. Among those joining her at Thinking Machines Lab is co-founder John Schulman.

Notably, Murati was among a group of executives who voiced concerns regarding Sam Altman’s leadership at OpenAI in 2023. Following Altman’s brief ousting in November, Murati served as interim CEO before his reinstatement.

The massive seed round underscores the intense interest and investment flowing into the AI sector, particularly towards startups led by individuals with proven track records in the field. Thinking Machines Lab, despite its secrecy, is clearly positioned to be a major player in the evolving AI landscape.