Mira Murati's newly founded AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, has made a splash in the tech world by securing a massive $2 billion in funding during its early funding rounds, achieving a valuation of $12 billion. This substantial investment, one of the largest seed rounds in Silicon Valley history, underscores the intense investor interest in AI and the confidence in Murati's leadership.
Founded in February 2025, Thinking Machines Lab has quickly attracted attention due to its focus on developing collaborative general intelligence and multimodal AI systems. The company aims to create AI that interacts with the world in a natural way, through conversation, vision, and collaboration. Murati has stated that the company's first product, expected in the coming months, will include a significant open-source component and be valuable for researchers and startups developing custom models. Thinking Machines Lab also intends to share its scientific insights with the broader research community to promote understanding and transparency in AI development.
The funding round was led by Andreessen Horowitz, a prominent venture capital firm, with participation from major technology players such as Nvidia, AMD, Cisco, Accel, ServiceNow, and Jane Street. This diverse group of investors highlights the broad interest in Thinking Machines Lab's vision and potential impact on the AI landscape. The investment also reflects a larger trend of increasing investment in AI startups, with AI accounting for a significant portion of total startup deal value in the first half of 2025.
Murati's departure from OpenAI, where she served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), to launch Thinking Machines Lab has further fueled interest in the new venture. During her time at OpenAI, Murati led the development of key AI technologies such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Codex. Her expertise and track record have made her a sought-after figure in the AI community, attracting top talent and significant investment to her new startup.
Thinking Machines Lab has assembled a team of leading researchers and engineers, many of whom previously worked at OpenAI, Meta AI, and Mistral AI. Notable team members include OpenAI co-founder John Schulman, as well as former OpenAI employees Jonathan Lachman and Barret Zoph. The company's advisors include Bob McGrew, previously OpenAI's chief research officer, and Alec Radford, a lead researcher at OpenAI. This concentration of talent from leading AI organizations positions Thinking Machines Lab as a potential competitor to established players like OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic.
Thinking Machines Lab's emergence comes at a time of intense competition and innovation in the AI field. While the company is still in its early stages and has yet to release a product, its ambitious goals, experienced leadership, and strong financial backing have generated significant excitement. As the company prepares to launch its first product and share its research, the industry will be watching closely to see how Thinking Machines Lab contributes to the advancement of AI and its impact on society.
