Who is OpenAI’s Mira Murati: An AI innovation race from Tesla to ChatGPT

Marta Reyes
3 min readNov 20, 2023

The Albanian executive promotes the revolution in artificial intelligence with developments such as ChatGPT and DALL-E. In parallel, Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, joins Microsoft in a new leadership role in AI, marking a significant change in the sector.

Mira Murati, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, is at the heart of generative artificial intelligence. Her distinguished career includes a stint at Tesla and origins in Albania, and she has been instrumental in the development and launch of ChatGPT and DALL-E. These products have been key in OpenAI’s transformation from a nonprofit research lab to a prominent technology company.

Recently, the engineer commented on Sam Altman’s appointment at Microsoft through her X account, highlighting that “OpenAI is nothing without his people.” As reported by Bloomberg yesterday, the former interim CEO of OpenAI had plans to reinstate Sam Altman, her ousted predecessor, and Greg Brockman, the company’s former president, in roles that were yet to be defined, according to sources familiar with the situation. In a quick succession of events, OpenAI named Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear as its third CEO in just three days.

Murati’s continued drive in AI innovation has put OpenAI on a path to revenue estimated at more than $1 billion this year, a notable jump from $30 million in 2022, according to Forbes.

The 34-year-old executive stands out for her ability to manage both the technical and public relations aspects of these AI products. Her focus is on how AI can influence humanity, maintaining a balance between utility and safety.

Her leadership has been crucial in OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft, resulting in a $10 billion investment and opening up new distribution possibilities. Today, following the signing of Sam Altman by Microsoft, Satya Nadella, CEO of the company, has reaffirmed, “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI.”

The engineer’s career reveals a constant dedication to artificial intelligence. Before joining OpenAI in 2018, Murati worked on AI applications at Tesla, showing an early interest in artificial general intelligence. Her education, which includes a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Dartmouth and significant experience at Tesla, provided a solid foundation for her role at OpenAI.

Murati emphasizes the importance of artificial intelligence in serving humanity, balancing technological ambitions with ethical and security considerations.

In addition to her focus on the development of products such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, the entrepreneur has been an important voice in the discussion about the regulation of AI and its implications on society. Her vision focuses on the integration of artificial intelligence into our infrastructure, advocating for a regulatory framework that accompanies technological evolution.

The Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI faces the challenge of leading the company at a critical time. An additional factor in this complex scenario is the new position of Sam Altman, now working for Microsoft, which represents a significant change in the artificial intelligence landscape and could influence OpenAI’s future strategies and decisions.

Mira Murati, born December 16, 1988 in Vlorë, Albania, is a prominent engineer, entrepreneur and media personality known for her work at OpenAI. Murati moved to Vancouver, Canada, at age 16 on a scholarship to an international school. Later, she studied at Dartmouth College.

The engineer joined OpenAI in 2018, where she has played a key role in the development and commercialization of products such as ChatGPT and Dall-E. Before joining OpenAI, she worked as an intern at Goldman Sachs in 2011 and at Zodiac Aerospace from 2012 to 2013. She then spent three years at Tesla as a Senior Product Manager for the Model X before working at Leap Motion.

In her role at OpenAI, the CTO has led efforts to improve the company’s products through human feedback and has served on leadership teams that developed revolutionary systems such as ChatGPT and Dall-E. On November 17, 2023, she was named interim CEO of OpenAI, following the sudden departure of Sam Altman and before Shear took over as CEO of the company.

Murati represents an inspiring figure in the field of AI technology, demonstrating the importance of ethical and visionary leadership in an era of rapid technological advancement.

Her story and achievements at OpenAI highlight the intersection between technological innovation and its human impact, a crucial balance in progress toward a future where artificial intelligence plays a central role.

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