Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati may be raising capital for a new AI startup

Mira Muratithe former CTO of OpenAI, is embarking on a new venture. According to a report, she is seeking funding from venture capitalists to launch her own AI startup focused on building products based on proprietary models.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, a report from news agency Reuters said Murati could potentially raise more than $100 million, given Murati’s impressive track record and the capital-intensive nature of training AI models.
The new company aims to build AI products based on proprietary models, one of the sources told Reuters, and she may take on the role of CEO in the new venture.

Murati may join another former OpenAI employee

Murati resigned from OpenAI in September along with prominent researcher Barret Zoph, bringing significant governance changes within the company. Zoph, who is hailed as a prominent researcher, may also be involved in the new venture, the sources told the news outlet.
His new venture adds to a growing trend of former OpenAI executives venturing out to establish rival AI companies, signaling a dynamic and evolving landscape in the field of artificial intelligence.
Murati spent more than six years at OpenAI, leading projects such as GPT Chat AI chatbot and DALL-E AI image maker. She is considered a key figure in OpenAI’s multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft, its biggest backer.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Murati joined OpenAI in June 2018 and was promoted to CTO in May 2022. She has also worked at augmented reality startups Leap Motion and Tesla.
Alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Murati was the public face of the ChatGPT maker and led the presentation of the launch of the GPT-4o model, which is capable of realistic voice conversations.
His resignation at the end of September marked the latest high-profile departure from maker ChatGPT, as the company undergoes major structural changes.