In the ever-accelerating world of artificial intelligence, one of the most compelling stories of recent months belongs to Mira Murati a technologist, leader, and visionary whose trajectory exemplifies how women can rise to shape the future of tech.

From Engineer to AI Leader

Mira Murati was born in Vlorë, Albania, on December 16, 1988, and later moved abroad to pursue education. She holds a BEng from Dartmouth College and a BA from Colby College. Wikipedia+1 Her early career included stints at Tesla (working on the Model X) and the startup Leap Motion, putting her squarely in the world of cutting-edge tech.

In 2018 she joined OpenAI as VP of Applied AI and Partnerships. Rapidly advancing, she became the company’s Chief Technology Officer in 2022, overseeing major projects including the development of ChatGPT, DALL-E and Codex.  Her time at OpenAI gave her deep insights into the next generation of AI systems both in terms of opportunity and risk.

Launching a New Chapter: Thinking Machines Lab

In February 2025, Murati announced the founding of Thinking Machines Lab (TML), a new artificial intelligence startup with a bold mission: to build AI systems that are “more widely understood, customisable and generally capable.” TML positions itself not simply as another AI company, but as a public-benefit corporation (PBC), reflecting a strong orientation towards responsible innovation and broader impact.

What makes this move significant:

• Murati secured a founding team of high-profile researchers and engineers from OpenAI, Meta, Mistral and other elite labs.

• In July 2025, TML announced a massive seed­-funding round of $2 billion, valuing the company at $12 billion.

• The startup’s first product is slated to appear imminently and will include an open-source component, targeting researchers and smaller teams.

Why This Is Important

Murati’s leadership matters for several reasons. First, she is operating at the highest echelons of AI innovation a field often dominated by men and doing so with vision and influence. Second, the structure of her startup (PBC, open science commitment) signals a shift in how tech can be built: not only for disruption but with ethics and accessibility in mind. Third, her fundraising success sends a message: women’s leadership is not just symbolic it’s deeply strategic and valued by top investors.

Lessons for Women in Tech

From Murati’s journey, several actionable insights emerge:

• Domain mastery matters. Her technical background (engineering + product) gave her credibility.

• Be unafraid to shift. Exiting a major role (OpenAI) to found a new company demonstrates boldness.

• Build for impact. TML’s emphasis on collaboration, transparency and alignment shows how mission-driven work resonates.

• Create inclusive leadership. By assembling a diverse elite team and positioning openness, the culture starts well.

• Visibility leads to change. When women lead AI labs worth billions, they rewrite narrative around what leadership looks like.

The Road Ahead

While TML has yet to release a commercial product, the scale of investment, caliber of team, and ambition of its mission give it immense potential. Murati’s role will continue to attract attention not just for what she does, but for how she does it. If she succeeds in delivering widely usable, ethically grounded AI tools that reach beyond tech-elite circles, the impact will ripple both through industry and society.

For women exploring careers in technology whether engineering, product, startup founding or leadership Mira Murati’s story is a vivid illustration that it is possible not just to participate, but to lead, transform, and break new ground.