Thinking Machine Founded by Ex-OpenAI Chief Secures $2 Billion Funding
Thinking Machine, a startup led by ex-OpenAI tech chief Mira Murati, has secured $2 billion in funding, achieving a valuation of $10 billion. This marks one of the largest seed funding rounds in Silicon Valley history. Murati, who previously raised concerns about OpenAI’s leadership, aims to advance AI through open science and practical applications. Other former OpenAI executives are also launching their own startups amid evolving perceptions of AI as a critical technology.
A new AI player has entered the arena. Thinking Machine, a startup helmed by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, announced that it achieved a staggering valuation of $10 billion after securing $2 billion in funding. This noteworthy investment, as reported by the Financial Times, is considered one of the largest seed funding rounds in Silicon Valley’s history, marking a remarkable start for the company.
Details surrounding the initiatives at Thinking Machine remain somewhat elusive. However, insiders suggest that Murati’s reputation and previous experience at OpenAI played a significant role in attracting investors. Since stepping down from OpenAI in September, she officially launched Thinking Machine in February.
Murati expressed the company’s vision succinctly: “Our goal is simple, advance AI by making it broadly useful and understandable through solid foundations, open science and practical applications.” Notably, she was one of the executives who raised concerns about CEO Sam Altman’s leadership, just days before Altman’s brief ousting last year. Murati also took on a temporary CEO role during that tumultuous period.
Murati’s experience includes playing a vital part in the development of groundbreaking products like ChatGPT and DALL-E, as previously highlighted by PYMNTS. Meanwhile, other former OpenAI executives are also venturing into startup territory in the AI landscape. Not long ago, we reported about Liam Fedus, the former vice president of research for post-training, who founded Periodic Labs, continuing the trend.
Adding to the excitement, Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s chief scientist, has also launched Safe Superintelligence and secured billions for this research lab. This surge of new ventures reflects a wider trend where AI has shifted from being merely experimental to becoming indispensable infrastructure.
Previous assessments noted that many enterprise AI projects have struggled amidst unclear objectives and data isolation. The narrative, however, is evolving. “Fast forward to today,” one report suggests, “the application of AI technologies is unfolding incrementally and effectively.” No longer just a fanciful trend, AI is being calibrated to meet real operational needs, setting the stage for what could be a transformative era in technology.
Thinking Machine’s rapid rise in valuation and funding illustrates the potential and continued interest in AI startups, particularly those led by experienced figures from established entities like OpenAI. Mira Murati’s leadership, combined with a growing trend of other ex-OpenAI leaders starting their own ventures, indicates a vibrant future ahead for the AI landscape. The shift of AI from experimental phases to essential infrastructure suggests that we might be seeing the tip of the iceberg for new and transformative technologies in the near future.
Original Source: www.pymnts.com
