Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has sparked a frenzy in Silicon Valley. Investors are eager to be part of what many expect will be her next major project. Venture capitalists have been quick to reach out, with some going as far as cold-emailing her in hopes of getting on her radar.
“We’re trying to get in front of her,” one investor told Business Insider, while another said they had sent a cold email to Murati.
Murati has yet to comment on her future plans, leaving the tech world abuzz with speculation.
A Quiet Exit, a Bold Future
In a post on X last week, Murati confirmed her departure from OpenAI after six and a half years. She expressed gratitude for her time with the company but noted that it was time for her to move on. “I’m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration,” she wrote.
This departure comes amid a wave of OpenAI alumni starting their own companies. Former employees, including high-profile cofounders, have launched startups focusing on AI advancements. Among them are Ilya Sutskever, who raised $1 billion for Safe Superintelligence, and Andrej Karpathy, who founded Eureka Labs to bring AI into the education sector.
OpenAI’s Fundraising Frenzy
Murati’s departure coincides with OpenAI’s latest $6.5 billion fundraising round, led by Thrive Capital. Other big players like Microsoft, SoftBank, and Coatue are also part of the investment effort, which values OpenAI at a staggering $150 billion.
OpenAI’s restructuring into a for-profit benefit corporation and plans to give CEO Sam Altman equity for the first time are further shaking up the company. Meanwhile, Murati’s exit has added to the departures of two other key technical executives, Bob McGrew and Barret Zoph, last week.
A Shift in the AI Landscape
Murati’s decision to leave is seen as significant, given her major contributions to OpenAI’s core projects, including ChatGPT and DALL-E. Her background at Tesla, where she worked on the Model X, combined with her role in shaping OpenAI’s future, has made her one of the most sought-after talents in AI.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, acknowledged Murati’s departure in a post on X, admitting it was abrupt but explaining her reasoning made sense. “We are not a normal company,” Altman noted, alluding to the unique pressures at OpenAI.
As Murati embarks on her own journey, all eyes in the tech world will be watching closely to see what she does next.
