Thinking Machines Lab, the artificial intelligence startup launched by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, has secured $2 billion in funding as it gears up to debut its first product within months.
Murati, who briefly served as interim CEO of OpenAI during a tumultuous leadership shakeup in 2023, founded Thinking Machines in February after stepping down as OpenAI’s chief technology officer last year.
Andreessen Horowitz’s a16z led the funding round, Murati said in a post on social media platform X. Other investors include Nvidia (NVDA.O), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), Accel, ServiceNow (NOW.N), CISCO Systems (CSCO.O), and trading firm Jane Street.
Murati said the company is developing multimodal AI systems designed to mimic how people naturally perceive and interact with the world, including through sight and conversation.
The startup’s first product will feature an open-source element aimed at researchers and early-stage AI companies. “Soon, we’ll also share our best science to help the research community better understand frontier AI systems,” she wrote.
Murati said the company’s mission centers on expanding personal agency through AI while ensuring equitable access to powerful tools.