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Technology & Internet • AI

Mira Murati

Mira Murati is an Albanian-American business executive and engineer known for her leadership roles in artificial intelligence.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated September 9, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Mira Murati is an Albanian-American business executive and engineer known for her leadership roles in artificial intelligence. She served as chief technology officer of OpenAI from 2022 to 2024 and briefly as interim chief executive officer in November 2023. In 2025, she founded the AI startup Thinking Machines Lab, where she serves as CEO.

Early life and education

Murati was born in Vlorë, Albania, in 1988. Sources describe her as having studied engineering and having received education in Canada, though the specific institutions are not consistently detailed in the provided sources.

Career before OpenAI

Before joining OpenAI, Murati worked at Tesla and Leap Motion. Sources say she contributed to Tesla’s Model X development and led product and engineering work at Leap Motion.

OpenAI

Murati joined OpenAI in 2018 and later became chief technology officer in 2022. At OpenAI, she helped oversee major products including ChatGPT, DALL·E and Sora, and she briefly served as interim CEO in November 2023.

Thinking Machines Lab

After leaving OpenAI in 2024, Murati founded Thinking Machines Lab in 2025. She is listed as the company’s CEO in the provided sources.

Key facts

  • Mira Murati is an Albanian-American engineer and business executive.
  • She served as OpenAI's chief technology officer from 2022 to 2024 and interim CEO in November 2023.
  • She left OpenAI in September 2024 and founded Thinking Machines Lab in February 2025.
  • Her earlier career included roles at Tesla and Leap Motion.
  • She received education in Canada, including at Pearson College UWC.
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Canadian context

Murati is connected to Canada through educational references in the provided sources, which say she received education in Canada and one source mentions Pearson College UWC in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Mira Murati?
Mira Murati is an Albanian-American engineer and business executive best known for senior leadership roles at OpenAI and for founding Thinking Machines Lab.
What was Mira Murati’s role at OpenAI?
She served as OpenAI’s chief technology officer from 2022 to 2024 and briefly as interim chief executive officer in November 2023.
When did Mira Murati leave OpenAI?
The provided sources say she left OpenAI in September 2024.
What is Thinking Machines Lab?
Thinking Machines Lab is an AI startup founded by Murati in February 2025, where she serves as CEO.
What companies did Mira Murati work for before OpenAI?
The provided sources mention Tesla and Leap Motion.
What is Mira Murati’s nationality?
She is described in the sources as Albanian-American.

References

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mira_Murati
    Supports: Birth name, birth date, nationality, OpenAI CTO role, and founding of Thinking Machines Lab.
  2. German Wikipediahttps://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mira_Murati
    Supports: OpenAI CTO timeline, interim CEO role, and founding of Thinking Machines Lab.
  3. The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/17/technology/mira-murati-openai.html
    Supports: Interim CEO appointment, Albanian origin, and education in Canada.
  4. TIMEhttps://time.com/collections/time100-ai-2024/7012712/mira-murati-2/
    Supports: Her role in OpenAI’s rise and interim CEO appointment.
  5. Microsofthttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/behind-the-tech/mira-murati-chief-technology-officer-openai
    Supports: Her CTO role at OpenAI and work on ChatGPT, DALL·E and GPT-4.
  6. WIREDhttps://www.wired.com/video/watch/new-beginnings-a-conversation-with-mira-murati
    Supports: Her OpenAI responsibilities and prior work at Tesla and Leap Motion.