AI news illustration: VIT Alumnus Joins Thinking Machines Lab as New Chief Technology Officer
VIT Alumnus Leads Thinking Machines Lab as New CTO
Mira Murati just hired a Vellore Institute of Technology graduate to be the CTO of her new company. This comes after she left OpenAI in late 2024, quickly secured a staggering $2 billion, and launched Thinking Machines Lab. Her leadership bench now also includes John Schulman, an OpenAI co-founder who recently departed Anthropic.
"He is a brilliant and seasoned leader who has made important contributions to the AI field for over a decade, and he's been a major contributor to our team," said Murati. In late 2024, Murati announced her departure as the CTO of OpenAI after six years, citing that she wanted to "create the time and space" for her own exploration. At the beginning of 2025, she announced 'Thinking Machines Lab' and has since raised $2 billion in investments.
Murati has been joined by several other OpenAI employees. Notably, John Schulman, one of the co-founders of OpenAI, left last August to join Anthropic and is now with Thinking Machines.
Murati's venture has, in a matter of months, drawn both serious capital and serious talent. That $2 billion war chest puts Thinking Machines Lab into a very small club of outfits with the resources to chase frontier AI. With this latest appointment, she has placed another executive who knows how to scale advanced systems into a critical seat at the table.
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Common Questions Answered
What significant leadership change has occurred at Thinking Machines Lab?
A VIT alumnus has been appointed as the new Chief Technology Officer of Thinking Machines Lab. This appointment represents a strategic move for the AI research organization and comes at a critical moment in the tech industry's talent landscape.
How did Murati describe the newly appointed CTO?
Murati described the new CTO as a 'brilliant and seasoned leader' who has made important contributions to the AI field for over a decade. She emphasized the individual's significant contributions to the Thinking Machines Lab team.
What circumstances preceded the new CTO's appointment at Thinking Machines Lab?
The appointment follows the departure of previous executive Barret Zoph under allegations of confidential information sharing. Murati had previously announced her own departure from OpenAI and subsequently founded Thinking Machines Lab, raising $2 billion in investments.
Further Reading
- Barret Zoph Reportedly Fired From Thinking Machines By Mira Murati For 'Unethical Conduct,' Immediately Returns To OpenAI — Benzinga
- Thinking Machines Lab Co-Founders Return to OpenAI Amid Leadership Changes — Mezha Media
- Mira Murati's thinking machines loses co-founders as senior leaders return to OpenAI — Storyboard18
- Startup Lab Thinking Machines Suffers a Sudden Crisis - AI NEWS — AIBase
- Leadership Shake-Up at Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab as Co-Founders Return to OpenAI — CXO Digital Pulse
