Thinking Machines Lab: Mira Murati’s $2B AI Startup Redefining Human-Aligned Intelligence

Thinking Machines Lab, founded in February 2025 by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is rapidly emerging as a transformative force in the artificial intelligence sector. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, the startup is on a mission to develop AI systems that are understandable, controllable, and aligned with human values.​

🚀 Company Overview

• Founder & CEO: Mira Murati
• Founded: February 2025
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California
• Team Size: Approximately 30 employees, including notable AI researchers
• Notable Team Members:
  • John Schulman – Chief Scientist
  • Barret Zoph – CTO
  • Bob McGrew – Former OpenAI Chief Research Officer
  • Alec Radford – Lead Researcher
  • Andrew Tulloch – Chief Architect
  • Alexander Kirillov, Jonathan Lachman, Lilian Weng, Rowan Zellers, among others

💰 Funding & Valuation

Thinking Machines Lab is reportedly in discussions to raise a $2 billion seed round, potentially valuing the company at $10 billion. This would mark one of the largest seed funding rounds in tech history. Leading venture capital firms such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Sequoia Capital are said to be in talks to lead this substantial funding effort .

🎯 Vision & Mission

The core mission of Thinking Machines Lab is to create AI systems that are:​

• Understandable: Enhancing transparency in AI decision-making processes.
• Controllable: Ensuring that AI behaviors can be directed and managed effectively.
• Human-Aligned: Aligning AI objectives with human values and ethics.​

The company emphasizes open-source research, aiming to collaborate with the broader AI community by sharing code, datasets, and findings to foster collective progress.

Open-Source AI at Its Core

In contrast to many closed-door AI models dominating the industry, Thinking Machines Lab places a strong emphasis on open-source research. By democratizing access to cutting-edge models and methodologies, the lab aims to foster a broader ecosystem of innovation and accountability.

Read: Top 10 Breakthrough Startups Founded in 2025: Leaders, Funding, Vision & Market Potential

🧠 Team & Talent

Mira Murati has assembled a team comprising top talent from leading AI organizations, including OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic. Notable team members include:

• John Schulman – Co-founder of OpenAI and a pioneer in reinforcement learning.
• Barret Zoph – Former VP of Research at OpenAI.
• Bob McGrew – Former Chief Research Officer at OpenAI.
• Alec Radford – Known for his work on generative models.
• Andrew Tulloch – Former engineering leader at Meta AI.​

This elite team underscores the company’s commitment to advancing AI research and development at the highest level .​

🌐 Market Potential

The global AI market is projected to exceed $500 billion by 2028, driven by advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and AI-driven applications across various industries. Thinking Machines Lab’s focus on human-aligned AI positions it to capitalize on this growth, addressing increasing demands for ethical and transparent AI solutions.​

Why It Matters

As AI systems grow more powerful and ubiquitous, the call for human-aligned, controllable, and transparent AI grows louder. Thinking Machines Lab is not only answering that call—it’s aiming to lead the charge.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Founder: Mira Murati, former CTO of OpenAI.
• Funding Goal: $2 billion seed round, aiming for a $10 billion valuation.
• Mission: Develop AI systems that are understandable, controllable, and aligned with human values.
• Approach: Emphasis on open-source research and collaboration.
• Team: Comprises top talent from OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic.

Thinking Machines Lab is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of AI, emphasizing ethical considerations and human-centric design in its pursuit of advanced artificial intelligence solutions.