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Open AI’s former executive, Bob McGrew discreetly joined Mira Murati‘s AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab, as an advisor. He was added along with Alec Radford, a former OpenAI researcher, as seen on the startup’s website.
It’s not clear when exactly McGrew started working as an advisor for the Thinking Machines Lab. According to a Wayback Machine webpage, the company first listed McGrew on its website last month. McGrew is the latest employee of OpenAI to join Murati’s new startup. Thinking Machine Lab names the 38 founding members of its team on its website.
A review of their backgrounds shows that exactly half of the startup’s 38 founding team members had prior experience at OpenAI. Murati appointed Barret Zoph, a co-creator of ChatGPT, as chief technology officer. John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, was appointed as chief scientist.
Murati revealed her startup to the world in an X post in February 2025, a move that surprised many. The company’s mission is to “advance AI by making it broadly useful and understandable through solid foundations, open science, and practical applications.” Murati’s Thinking Machine Lab is reportedly valued at $9 billion.
Murati and McGrew Stage a Surprising Departure
McGrew made his announcement to part with OpenAI on X last September. The announcement was made a day after Murati announced her departure. He described his eight years at the company as “an awe-inspiring journey.” He added that after spending the previous two months helping the research team transition, it was time for him to take a sabbatical.
“We’re building AI systems that push technical boundaries while delivering real value to as many people as possible. Our team combines rigorous engineering with creative exploration, and we’re looking for collaborators to help shape this vision,” states the Thinking Machines Lab on its website.
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