February 2025 marked the launch of Thinking Machines Lab, an artificial intelligence startup founded by Mira Murati. Operating as a public benefit corporation, the venture quickly secured an estimated $12 billion valuation by April 2025. This project represents the latest phase in a career that has spanned from engineering at major automotive manufacturers to leadership at the forefront of generative technology.
Academic and Early Professional Foundation
Born in 1988 in Vlorë, Albania, Murati pursued an international education, attending Pearson College UWC in Canada and completing a dual-degree program with a Bachelor of Arts from Colby College in 2011 and a Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering from Dartmouth College in 2012. Her early professional experience included a summer analyst role at Goldman Sachs in Tokyo and a position at Zodiac Aerospace. In 2013, she joined Tesla as a product manager focused on the Model X. She later transitioned to the augmented reality startup Leap Motion, where she led product and engineering initiatives between 2016 and 2018.
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Murati joined OpenAI in 2018 as vice president of applied AI and partnerships, later ascending to chief technology officer in May 2022. During her tenure, she oversaw research, product, and safety teams responsible for developing models such as GPT-4, DALL-E, ChatGPT, Codex, and Sora. In November 2023, she served as interim chief executive officer for three days following the temporary removal of Sam Altman. After returning to her role as CTO, she eventually announced her resignation in September 2024 to pursue independent projects.
Thinking Machines Lab
Upon launching Thinking Machines Lab, Murati structured the firm as a public benefit corporation with a governance model that grants her a deciding vote on board matters. By April 2025, a $2 billion seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz—with participation from the government of Albania—pushed the company valuation to $12 billion. The company employs approximately 30 researchers and engineers, including notable figures such as John Schulman, Alec Radford, and Bob McGrew. In October 2025, the firm introduced its debut product, Tinker, designed for the creation of custom frontier AI models.
Fast facts
- Born: 1988, Vlorë, Albania
- Citizenship: Albania, United States
- Education: Colby College, Dartmouth College, Pearson College UWC
- Tesla Tenure: 2013-2016
- OpenAI CTO term: 2022-2024
- Thinking Machines Lab Launch: February 2025
- Languages: English, Italian, Albanian
- Notable Honorary Degree: 2024
Questions readers ask
What is Thinking Machines Lab?
It is a public benefit corporation founded by Mira Murati in 2025 that develops tools for creating custom frontier artificial intelligence, including their inaugural product, Tinker.
Did Mira Murati work for Tesla?
Yes, she served as a product manager for the Model X starting in 2013.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Thinking Machines Lab, OpenAI and OpenAI
- Educated at Colby College and Dartmouth College
