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Who is Mira Murati?
Mira Murati is an Albanian engineer and tech executive known for her significant contributions to the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and her role as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OpenAI. Mira Murati is now the CEO of her new AI startup called Thinking Machines Lab.
She assumed the role of interim CEO at OpenAI on November 17, 2023. Her appointment followed the departure of Sam Altman, signifying a significant transition for the company. On September 25, 2024, OpenAI’s Mira Murati announced her departure from the company.
Early Life and Education
Born in Vlorë, Albania, on 16 December 1988, Murati’s academic journey began at Pearson College UWC in Canada, where she earned an International Baccalaureate diploma in 2007. Driven by a passion for engineering, she pursued a rigorous educational path, receiving a Davis-UWC Scholarship to attend Colby College in Maine. Murati completed a 5 year dual-degree program in engineering at Dartmouth College, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering from Dartmouth and a Bachelor of Arts from Colby in 2012.
Career
Her professional journey started with an internship at Goldman Sachs in 2011, followed by roles at Zodiac Aerospace and a significant tenure at Tesla, where she served as a senior product manager for the groundbreaking Model X project from 2013 to 2016 under the mentorship of Elon Musk. Murati’s career path expanded through her time at Leap Motion before joining OpenAI in 2018. After leaving OpenAI in 2024 she starts her AI startup in early 2025.
Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab
Mira Murati launched her AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab in Feb 2025, an AGI-focused AI lab, focuses on customizable, widely understood, and capable AI systems. The team includes 30+ AI experts from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Meta.
Murati’s TML raised approximately $2 billion in an early funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. This deal gave Thinking Machines Lab a valuation of $12 billion in July 2025.
Her company, TML, has launched its first product called Tinker on Oct 1, 2025, a tool that lets researchers and developers fine-tune AI models without managing costly infrastructure.
Net Worth
As of late 2025, Mira Murati’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $1.4 billion, following her new AI startup’s significant early-stage funding. This figure is a substantial increase from earlier estimates in 2024 and mid-2025, which ranged from $5 to $10 million.
Contributions at OpenAI
At OpenAI, Murati’s impact was substantial. She assumed the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), spearheading critical projects such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Codex while overseeing the company’s research, product development, and safety divisions. Her ascent to the role of interim CEO highlights her visionary leadership and commitment to advancing artificial intelligence responsibly.
Advocacy and Recognition
Murati has been a vocal advocate for AI regulation, stressing the need for governmental involvement in establishing safety standards for AI deployment. Her emphasis on ethical AI proliferation has resonated within the tech industry.
Interim CEO of OpenAI
On November 17, 2023, Murati assumed the role of interim CEO at OpenAI, succeeding Sam Altman. Her appointment came in the wake of her notable achievements within the organization and her deep-rooted commitment to AI safety standards and ethical AI proliferation. This transition marked a pivotal moment for OpenAI, with Murati positioned as a key figure to lead the company during this interim phase.
Mira Murati Quit OpenAI
She exits OpenAI less than a year after OpenAI’s leadership crisis. Mira Murati announced her departure on September 25, 2024. Murati cited a desire for personal exploration as the reason for her departure.
Leadership and Praise
OpenAI praised Murati’s significant five-year tenure within the leadership team, acknowledging her instrumental role in the company’s growth into a global AI powerhouse. The board highlighted her understanding of the company’s values and operations, affirming her capability to navigate the company effectively during this transition phase.
With the successful launch and widespread adoption of projects like ChatGPT and DALL-E, Murati might have felt that she had accomplished her major goals at OpenAI. This sense of completion could have prompted her to seek new challenges and projects to tackle.
