Mira Murati, former chief technology officer of OpenAI, is exploring the possibility of launching an artificial intelligence startup, according to a Reuters report. The executive has beguntalks with several venture capitalists in search of million-dollar funding to get her project off the ground. Although negotiations are at an early stage, it is estimated that Murati could secure more than $100 million in a first round of investment.
A new bet on AI after his exit from OpenAI
Murati's new startup would focus on developing artificial intelligence products based on proprietary language and learning models, an approach reminiscent of that taken by tech giants such as Google. Murati, who was a key figure in the creation of ChatGPT and DALL-E, stepped down as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at OpenAI at the end of September 2023, citing that he wanted to "create time and space for his own exploration." However, he offered no further details on his next steps, which has generated speculation in the industry.
Murati's departure was not an isolated case. Following his departure, there was news of the resignation of Barret Zoph, former vice president of research at OpenAI, who is also reportedly planning to start his own AI company. Murati is rumored to have begun recruiting some OpenAI employees to join his new venture.
The loss of talent at OpenAI and growing competition
OpenAI has seen a significant outflow of talent in recent times, with several specialists leaving the organization to launch their own AI projects. OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever announced in June the creation of Safe Superintelligence Inc, a lab focused on superintelligence development. On the other hand, siblings Daniel and Daniela Amodei founded Anthropic in 2021, following their departure from OpenAI.
These moves come in a context in which OpenAI has raised $6.6 billion, raising its valuation to $157 billion. However, this capital injection has generated the need to restructure the company's business model. There is speculation that investors have given OpenAI a two-year deadline to turn OpenAI into a for-profit company, adding pressure on its management.
As the field of artificial intelligence continues to attract massive investment, some experts, such as David Cahn of Sequoia Capital, warn of the risk of a financial bubble. Although the profit potential in AI is significant, much of the capital is being allocated to projects in early stages of development that may not generate immediate or sustainable returns.
