Introduction to Thinking Machines Lab
Thinking Machines Lab, a startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is aiming to raise $1 billion at a valuation of $9 billion. This funding round, if successful, would make the company one of the latest AI startups with ties to OpenAI to secure a significant investment. The deal is not yet finalized, and details may change. Business Insider reported that the company, which emerged from stealth this month, has recruited around 20 former OpenAI researchers, as well as employees from Meta and Mistral AI.
Background on Mira Murati and Thinking Machines Lab
Mira Murati left OpenAI in September after more than six years, including a brief stint as interim CEO. Her new venture, Thinking Machines Lab, describes itself as open-source and aims to create more flexible, adaptable, and personalized AI systems. According to its website, the company sees enormous potential for AI to help in every field of work and is building AI that can adapt to the full spectrum of human expertise.
Feeding the AI Machine: Funding Rounds in AI Startups
Thinking Machines Lab’s potential raise is part of a larger trend of significant funding rounds in AI startups, particularly those with ties to OpenAI. Other notable examples include Anthropic, a Google-backed OpenAI rival, which is reportedly closing in on a fresh $3.5 billion funding round that would value it at $61.5 billion. Elon Musk’s generative AI startup xAI is also in talks to raise another $10 billion at a $75 billion valuation. Additionally, AI research lab Safe Superintelligence, co-founded by former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, raised $1 billion from investors in September.
The Growing Trend of Early-Stage Unicorns
If Thinking Machines Lab successfully closes its funding round, it would join a growing trend of early-stage startups achieving unicorn valuations. This trend is particularly prominent in the AI sector, with many startups securing significant investments within mere months of their founding. OpenAI itself is reportedly closing in on a new $40 billion funding round from SoftBank, which would value it at an astounding $260 billion.
Conclusion
The potential funding round for Thinking Machines Lab highlights the ongoing interest and investment in AI startups, particularly those with ties to OpenAI. As the AI sector continues to grow and evolve, it is likely that we will see more significant funding rounds and early-stage unicorns emerge. With its focus on creating more flexible and adaptable AI systems, Thinking Machines Lab is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the industry. Whether or not the company secures its desired funding, it is clear that AI startups will continue to play a major role in shaping the future of technology.
