You know that feeling when your ex becomes wildly successful right after leaving you? OpenAI’s probably having that moment right now. Their former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, just walked away with a cool $2 billion for her new AI venture โ and she’s barely getting started.
Here’s the thing about Silicon Valley: when someone with Murati’s resume decides to go solo, investors don’t just throw money at them. They launch it from cannons. And that’s exactly what happened on July 15, 2025, when Thinking Machines Lab announced one of the most jaw-dropping seed rounds in tech history.
The $2 Billion Power Move That Shook Silicon Valley
Let’s talk numbers for a second. Thinking Machines Lab didn’t just raise $2 billion โ they did it at a $12 billion valuation. For a company that launched in February 2025 and has zero products on the market. That’s not just confidence; that’s straight-up belief in the person behind the wheel.
Andreessen Horowitz led the round, but they weren’t flying solo. The investor list reads like a who’s who of tech royalty: Nvidia, Accel, ServiceNow, Cisco, AMD, and Jane Street all threw their hats in the ring. When companies like these are writing checks, you know something special is brewing.
The timing? Perfect. U.S. startup funding surged nearly 76% to $162.8 billion in the first half of 2025, with AI accounting for about 64.1% of total deal value. Murati didn’t just catch the wave โ she rode it like a pro surfer.
From OpenAI’s Right-Hand to Solo Superstar
Murati’s journey to this moment reads like a masterclass in strategic career moves. She joined OpenAI in May 2022 as CTO and quickly became the face behind some of the most game-changing AI products we’ve seen. ChatGPT? That was her baby. DALL-E? Her handiwork. The voice mode that made everyone feel like they were chatting with a friend? Yep, that too.
But here’s where it gets interesting. During the November 2023 chaos when Sam Altman got temporarily booted, Murati stepped up as interim CEO. She held the fort while the board figured out their drama. That’s not just technical skill โ that’s leadership under pressure.
When she announced her departure in September 2024, Murati’s explanation was refreshingly honest: “I want to create the time and space to do my exploration.” Translation? She had bigger plans.
The Great OpenAI Exodus and Dream Team Assembly
Here’s where the story gets spicy. Murati didn’t leave alone. Her departure kicked off what looks like a coordinated talent raid. Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew and VP of Research Barret Zoph announced their exits on the same day. Coincidence? Hardly.
Fast forward to today, and Thinking Machines Lab’s roster looks like OpenAI’s greatest hits album. About two-thirds of the 30-person founding team are former OpenAI employees. The lineup includes:
John Schulman as Chief Scientist and co-founder. This guy co-created ChatGPT and is an OpenAI co-founder. He even did a brief stint at Anthropic before joining Murati’s crew.
Barret Zoph as CTO. Former VP of Research at OpenAI, he jumped ship the same day as Murati โ talk about loyalty.
Lilian Weng (former OpenAI safety lead), Andrew Tulloch (infrastructure specialist), and Luke Metz (reinforcement learning expert) round out the all-star cast.
This isn’t just talent acquisition โ it’s a strategic power move that signals serious intent to compete at the highest levels.
What Makes Thinking Machines Lab Different
In a world where everyone’s racing to build the next ChatGPT killer, Murati’s taking a different approach. Thinking Machines Lab is focused on “collaborative general intelligence” โ AI that works with humans instead of replacing them.
“We’re building multimodal AI that works with how you naturally interact with the world – through conversation, through sight, through the messy way we collaborate,” Murati explained. It’s not about creating some sci-fi overlord AI. It’s about making AI that fits into your life like a really smart assistant who actually gets you.
The company’s mission centers on human-AI collaboration rather than full automation. Think of it as the difference between a self-driving car and a really good co-pilot. One takes over completely; the other makes you better at what you’re already doing.
The Open Source Strategy That Could Change Everything
Here’s where Murati’s playing 4D chess while everyone else is stuck on checkers. Thinking Machines Lab plans to unveil its first product within the next couple of months, and it’s coming with a “significant open source component.”
This isn’t just about being nice to the community. It’s a strategic move that could democratize AI development and build massive goodwill among researchers and startups. While OpenAI and others are building walls around their tech, Murati’s opening doors.
The company plans to share research, publish technical blog posts, and release code regularly. Their philosophy? “Scientific progress is a collective effort.” It’s refreshing to see someone in this space who remembers that the best innovations come from collaboration, not secrecy.
The Competitive Landscape: David vs. Multiple Goliaths
Let’s be real โ Murati’s not the only OpenAI alum who’s decided to go solo. Dario Amodei launched Anthropic, and Ilya Sutskever started Safe Superintelligence. Both have raised billions and attracted top talent.
But here’s what makes Thinking Machines Lab interesting: they’re not trying to out-OpenAI OpenAI. They’re creating something fundamentally different. While others are building better versions of existing tools, Murati’s team is reimagining how humans and AI work together.
The company has reportedly struck a deal with Google Cloud to power their AI models, which gives them the infrastructure to compete with the big boys. Plus, with a governance structure that grants Murati decisive voting power, she can move fast without getting bogged down in committee decisions.
The Numbers Game: Why $2 Billion Makes Sense
Some people might look at this funding round and think it’s insane. $2 billion for a company with no products? Here’s why it makes perfect sense:
Talent Premium: The AI talent war is real. Top researchers command millions in compensation. Murati’s team represents decades of combined experience at the cutting edge of AI development.
Infrastructure Costs: Training frontier AI models isn’t cheap. We’re talking hundreds of millions in compute costs. The $2 billion gives them room to experiment without worrying about running out of cash.
Market Timing: AI is having its iPhone moment. The companies that establish themselves now will dominate for the next decade. Investors know this, and they’re betting accordingly.
Track Record: Murati and her team didn’t just work on AI โ they created the products that defined the current AI boom. When you’ve got that kind of proven success, people listen.
What This Means for the Future of AI
Murati’s move represents something bigger than just another startup launch. It’s a signal that the AI industry is maturing beyond the “winner takes all” mentality. We’re entering an era where different approaches to AI development will coexist and compete.
The focus on collaboration over automation could reshape how we think about AI’s role in society. Instead of fearing job displacement, we might start seeing AI as a tool that makes human capabilities more powerful.
The open source commitment is equally significant. If Thinking Machines Lab succeeds with this approach, it could pressure other companies to be more transparent and collaborative. That’s good news for everyone who believes innovation thrives in open environments.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Let’s not sugarcoat it โ Murati’s facing some serious challenges. Building a frontier AI company means competing with Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic โ companies with massive resources and established user bases. The technical challenges are immense, and the regulatory landscape is shifting rapidly.
But the opportunities are even bigger. The AI market is still in its infancy, and there’s room for multiple winners. Murati’s focus on collaboration and open source could create a sustainable competitive advantage that’s hard to replicate.
The company’s emphasis on safety and reliability also positions them well for enterprise customers who need AI they can trust. While consumer AI gets the headlines, enterprise AI is where the real money is.
The Bottom Line
Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s $2 billion funding round isn’t just about money โ it’s about vision. She’s not trying to build a better ChatGPT. She’s trying to build something fundamentally different: AI that makes humans more capable instead of replacing them.
With a dream team of former OpenAI employees, backing from top-tier investors, and a clear vision for collaborative AI, Thinking Machines Lab is positioned to be a major player in the next phase of AI development.
The real test will come when they release their first product. But if Murati’s track record is any indication, we’re in for something special. In a world where AI often feels like it’s moving too fast, she’s building technology that moves with us, not past us. And honestly? That’s exactly what we need right now.
