Mira Murati has made her first major public appearance in approximately 18 months, discussing developments at her new startup, Thinking Machines Lab, as well as the challenges facing the artificial intelligence industry.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Murati outlined the vision behind her company, which has largely operated out of the public spotlight over the past year. According to her, Thinking Machines Lab is developing new AI models designed to create more natural interactions between humans and artificial intelligence by processing audio, text, and video in real time.
Murati also reflected on the turbulent events of November 2023, when the board of OpenAI temporarily removed Sam Altman as CEO. She said her priority at the time was to protect the company’s mission and team, while acknowledging that the process would have benefited from greater transparency and a clearer transition plan.
A significant part of her message focused on the concentration of power within the AI industry. Murati expressed concern that many key decisions are being made by a small number of organizations and emphasized the need for stronger oversight and governance mechanisms.
Looking ahead, she rejected both catastrophic predictions and excessive optimism about artificial intelligence. According to Murati, the current period is a pivotal moment, and how society chooses to govern and guide the development of AI will determine its impact in the years to come.
