Mira Murati's AI Venture Recruits Ex-OpenAI Leader and Other Key Players

Jonathan Lachman, ex-head of special projects at OpenAI, is now part of a new AI research lab led by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati. This venture marks Murati's notable first talent acquisition and adds a prominent team member to her high-profile project

A New Era in Artificial Intelligence

Mira Murati, previously a prominent executive at OpenAI, is charting a new course in artificial intelligence (AI) research with the establishment of her startup. The fledgling venture attracted significant attention when Jonathan Lachman, former head of special projects at OpenAI, shifted his skills and experience to Murati's camp, as confirmed by two undisclosed informants.

This marks Murati's most prominent team acquisition since her departure from OpenAI in the fall of the previous year. She's steering her new and keenly anticipated project towards groundbreaking AI exploration, targeting the realm of artificial general intelligence.

Gathering the Best from Different Fields

Murati's poaching strategy now boasts around ten gifted researchers and engineers, drawn from the ranks of leading competitors like OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Character AI. Although in its infancy and lacking a distinctive name or a finalized product strategy, Murati's project is gathering momentum, according to two unnamed sources.

Aftermath of Murati's Departure from OpenAI

Murati’s departure from OpenAI happened less than a year after the sudden dismissal of then-CEO Sam Altman by the board of directors. The unexpected move led to the temporary appointment of Murati, then CTO, as interim CEO. This decision was a tough blow to Altman, as his conversation with podcaster Lex Fridman revealed. While Altman was later reinstated as CEO, the drama resulted in him referring to Murati's elevation as 'the low point' of the chaotic leadership crisis that briefly gripped OpenAI.

Murati's Future Plans

Murati, in a farewell letter to the OpenAI workforce expressed her desire to 'create the time and space to do my own exploration.' Shortly after, it was reported that she was seeking over $100 million for an undisclosed new venture, the current startup that she is running.

Others Following Suit at OpenAI

Following Murati’s departure, OpenAI saw the exit of other important figures including Barret Zoph, vice president of research, and Bob McGrew, chief research officer. OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever also left to establish his own startup focused on AI safety, Safe Superintelligence, which raised $1 billion within three months. The competitive landscape also includes Anthropic, spearheaded by former OpenAI execs and supported by substantial funding, including an $8 billion investment from Amazon.

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