Mira Murati is an Albanian-American engineer and a top technology executive best known for her impact on artificial intelligence. Born in Albania in 1988, Murati winningly navigated early academic success—including math competitions and a scholarship to study in Canada—then earned an engineering degree at Dartmouth College.
Early Career
Murati began her career with an internship at Goldman Sachs before taking on engineering roles at Zodiac Aerospace. Her profile rose at Tesla, where she served as Senior Product Manager for the Model X, gaining hands-on experience with AI via Tesla’s Autopilot project. Later, she moved to Leap Motion as VP of Product, expanding her expertise in human-computer interaction.
Rise at OpenAI
In 2018, Murati joined OpenAI. She rapidly climbed the ranks from VP of Applied AI to CTO in May 2022. At OpenAI, she spearheaded major projects like ChatGPT, DALL-E, Codex, and Sora, establishing herself as a central figure in bringing generative AI to the mainstream.
She was especially known for her advocacy of ethical AI development, research alignment, and product responsibility—values that heavily shaped OpenAI’s operational philosophy.
In November 2023, amid OpenAI’s leadership crisis, Murati briefly stepped in as interim CEO, helping stabilize the company before resuming her CTO duties.
Founding Thinking Machines Lab
In September 2024, Murati left OpenAI, stating her desire for "space to do my own exploration." She soon launched Thinking Machines Lab (TML) in early 2025—an ambitious startup focused on artificial general intelligence (AGI), research openness, and long-term alignment.
TML quickly gained attention. It attracted top AI talent from OpenAI, DeepMind, and Meta, and secured multibillion-dollar funding within months of launch—positioning itself as a bold new force in AI innovation.
The Meta AI Offer—and Its Rejection
In 2025, Mark Zuckerberg made global headlines by offering Murati a $1 billion multi-year compensation package to join Meta’s newly announced Superintelligence Labs. Offers ranging from $200 million to $500 million were also made to key TML staff members.
Not a single team member left.
Murati’s refusal of the offer underscored her team’s commitment to mission-driven work and highlighted their concerns about Meta’s leadership direction and strategic priorities. Many observers saw the refusal as a defining moment in AI’s evolution—where research integrity and vision triumphed over raw capital.
Influence and Legacy
Murati is now widely regarded as one of the most principled and visionary leaders in AI. She has earned praise from major tech figures, including Satya Nadella and Sam Altman, for her ability to build high-performing teams and push forward the frontiers of AI responsibly.
Her leadership has inspired a new generation of women in tech and professionals who seek purpose beyond profit.
In Summary
Mira Murati’s journey—from Tesla to OpenAI, and now to TML—illustrates a powerful narrative of conviction, innovation, and leadership. Her choice to reject Meta’s billion-dollar offer is more than a career milestone—it’s a testament to the values shaping the future of artificial intelligence.