Summary:
Thinking Machines Lab secures $2B seed round at a $12B valuation, led by Andreessen Horowitz
Startup founded by Mira Murati, former OpenAI CTO, aims to advance collaborative general intelligence
First product to include a significant open-source offering, useful for researchers and startups
Attracts top talent from OpenAI, including John Schulman, Barret Zoph, and Luke Metz
Seen as a threat to OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind, with backing from major tech players
Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup founded by OpenAI’s former chief technology officer Mira Murati, has officially closed a $2 billion seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz, valuing the startup at an astonishing $12 billion. This round saw participation from tech giants like NVIDIA, Accel, ServiceNow, CISCO, AMD, and Jane Street.
A Record-Breaking Seed Round
This deal marks one of the largest seed rounds in Silicon Valley history, highlighting the massive investor appetite for promising new AI labs. Despite being less than a year old, Thinking Machines Lab has already made waves, though it has yet to reveal its specific projects.
What’s Coming Next?
Murati teased the startup’s first product in a post on X, promising a reveal in the next couple of months with a significant open-source offering. The product aims to be useful for researchers and startups building custom AI models. Murati also hinted at sharing their best science to help the research community better understand frontier AI systems.
"Thinking Machines Lab exists to empower humanity through advancing collaborative general intelligence." — Mira Murati
The Team Behind the Vision
Since its launch, Thinking Machines Lab has attracted top talent, including former OpenAI colleagues John Schulman, Barret Zoph, and Luke Metz. The company is actively recruiting individuals with a proven track record in building successful AI-driven products from the ground up.
Competitive Landscape
Thinking Machines Lab is seen as a legitimate threat to leading AI model developers like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind. With billions in funding and a partnership with Google Cloud, the startup is well-positioned to train frontier AI models. However, it faces stiff competition from established players investing heavily in their own research teams.
A Missed Acquisition?
Reports suggest that Meta held talks to acquire Thinking Machines Lab to bolster its superintelligence efforts, but no final offer materialized.
The Road Ahead
With its novel research and substantial funding, Thinking Machines Lab is poised to make significant strides in the AI space. The startup’s focus on collaborative intelligence and open-source contributions could set it apart in an increasingly crowded field.
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