Former OpenAI technology chief Mira Murati to raise capital for new AI startup, sources say

By Anna Tong and Krystal Hu

Mira Murati, former chief technology officer at OpenAI, is raising funds from venture capitalists for her new AI startup, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The new company aims to build AI products based on proprietary models, said one of the sources who requested anonymity to discuss private matters. It is not clear if Murati will assume the CEO role at the new venture.

A representative for Murati declined to comment.

While the talks are in the early stages, Murati’s new venture could raise over $100 million given her reputation and the capital needed to train proprietary models, one of the sources said, cautioning that the figures have not been finalized.

Barret Zoph, a prominent researcher who left OpenAI on the same day as Murati in late September, could also get involved in the new venture, the sources added. Zoph did not respond to requests for comment.

The Information previously reported that Zoph is planning a new startup and that Murati has been recruiting OpenAI employees to join her new venture.

Murati at OpenAI spent over six years spearheading transformative projects like ChatGPT and DALL-E. She was a key figure in OpenAI’s multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft, its largest financial backer.

Murati’s meteoric rise at OpenAI has cemented her name as one of the most prominent executives in the fledgling field of artificial intelligence. 

Murati joined OpenAI in June 2018 and was promoted to CTO in May 2022, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Prior to OpenAI, she worked at augmented reality startup Leap Motion and Tesla.

She frequently appeared alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as the public face of the ChatGPT maker. When OpenAI in May launched its GPT-4o model, which is capable of having realistic voice conversations, Murati led the presentation.

Her abrupt resignation in late September marked the latest high-profile exit from the ChatGPT maker as the company undergoes major governance structure changes, including removing the control of the non-profit board.

Murati, who briefly served as interim CEO last year when Altman was ousted by the non-profit board, cited a desire for personal exploration for her departure. 

Murati joins a growing list of former OpenAI executives launching startups, including rivals such as Anthropic and Safe Superintelligence.

(Reporting by Anna Tong in San Francisco and Krystal Hu in New York; editing by Kenneth Li and Bill Berkrot)