Former OpenAI CTO Launches Thinking Machines Lab in Bid for More Adaptable AI Systems

SAN FRANCISCO— Mira Murati, the former Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI, has officially launched her own AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, with the goal of developing customizable, human-centric AI systems. The new venture, based in San Francisco, has already assembled a powerhouse team of AI researchers, engineers, and former OpenAI colleagues—including John Schulman and Barret Zoph, both of whom played significant roles in OpenAI’s early breakthroughs.

With an emphasis on transparency, collaboration, and real-world AI applications, Thinking Machines Lab seeks to address one of AI’s biggest challenges: creating AI models that can be tailored to individuals and businesses while remaining reliable, understandable, and safe.

A New Vision for AI

Murati, a key architect behind OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other groundbreaking projects, has been an outspoken advocate for ethical AI development and the importance of aligning artificial intelligence with human needs. Her decision to leave OpenAI earlier this year raised questions about the future direction of OpenAI’s leadership and whether internal strategic disagreements played a role in her departure.

Now, with Thinking Machines Lab, Murati is setting out to reshape how AI interacts with users—focusing on customization, transparency, and open collaboration.

“AI shouldn’t be a black box,” Murati said in a statement.
“It should be a tool that people can adapt to their needs, understand deeply, and use with confidence. Our mission is to create AI systems that are not just powerful but also intuitive and human-aligned.”

Murati’s departure from OpenAI in late 2024 came amid a wave of high-profile exits from the company, with former employees citing concerns about commercial pressures, closed-source policies, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI deployment. Thinking Machines Lab appears to be taking a different approach, promising to publish research, open-source key components of its technology, and encourage industry-wide collaboration.

A Team of AI Powerhouses

Thinking Machines Lab isn’t just another AI startup—it’s a reunion of some of the brightest minds in the field.

Alongside Murati, the founding team includes:
✔ John Schulman – A co-creator of Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF), the key technology behind ChatGPT’s ability to improve responses through user interaction.
✔ Barret Zoph – A leading AI researcher in neural architecture search, helping machines design better AI models autonomously.
✔ Jonathan Lachman – Former lead of OpenAI’s Special Projects Unit, responsible for AI applications in government, defense, and enterprise solutions.
✔ Talent from DeepMind, Character.AI, and Anthropic – The company has also attracted experts from Google DeepMind and other AI competitors, suggesting a cross-industry collaboration in its approach to AI development.

By bringing together experts in AI research, ethics, and engineering, Thinking Machines Lab is positioning itself as a major player in the AI space—one that challenges the traditional AI business model of secrecy and closed-source technology.

How Thinking Machines Lab Plans to Disrupt the AI Industry

Unlike OpenAI and its competitors, Thinking Machines Lab is prioritizing customization and adaptability—a key issue in today’s AI market. Many companies have expressed concerns that current AI models like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude are too rigid, lacking the ability to tailor responses to specific industry needs.

Thinking Machines Lab aims to address this in several ways:

🔹 Customizable AI Models – Instead of a one-size-fits-all AI, the company will allow businesses and individuals to train AI models based on their unique datasets, preferences, and workflows.

🔹 Open-Source Collaboration – While OpenAI has moved toward more proprietary, closed models, Thinking Machines Lab has pledged to release research papers and key components of its AI infrastructure to the public.

🔹 Human-AI Synergy – The company is developing interactive AI assistants that don’t just provide responses but also explain their reasoning, allowing users to understand how decisions are made.

🔹 Ethical and Transparent AI – Murati has been a vocal advocate for AI safety and regulation, and her company will focus on responsible AI deployment, avoiding misinformation, bias, and potential misuse.

The goal is to build AI that works for people—not the other way around.

Can Thinking Machines Lab Compete with OpenAI?

As Murati’s startup takes shape, the question remains: Can it truly compete with AI giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta?

Thinking Machines Lab faces significant challenges, including:

• Securing funding in a competitive AI market dominated by tech giants with billion-dollar war chests.
• Scaling AI models while maintaining the transparency and flexibility promised to users.
• Regulatory and ethical challenges, especially as global governments tighten AI policies and impose stricter controls.

Despite these challenges, Murati’s reputation, team, and vision give Thinking Machines Lab a unique advantage. Investors and industry experts are watching closely, with many seeing this startup as a much-needed alternative to the closed-door AI race.

“The AI industry needs competition, and it needs transparency,” said Dr. Richard Kim, an AI policy researcher at Stanford. “Murati’s departure from OpenAI and her new venture suggest that there’s still room for innovation outside the corporate AI giants.”

What’s Next?

Thinking Machines Lab is expected to release its first research papers and prototype AI models later this year. While Murati has not disclosed specific launch timelines, insiders suggest that the company is working on a next-generation AI system that could challenge existing models like ChatGPT-4 and Google’s Gemini 1.5.

The startup is also rumored to be in early-stage talks with major tech investors to secure funding, ensuring it can scale its AI ambitions.

As the AI industry evolves, Thinking Machines Lab could be a game-changer in how we approach AI development, customization, and transparency. While OpenAI and its competitors push forward with closed, proprietary AI models, Murati’s startup may offer a compelling alternative—one that places human-AI collaboration at its core.

With AI continuing to shape the future of technology, Thinking Machines Lab’s journey will be one to watch.