Why Did Mira Murati Quit OpenAI? The 2026 Trial Secrets Out!

Mira Murati Breaks Silence: From OpenAI Trial to a $12 Billion AI Empire

The AI world is buzzing with the latest updates on Mira Murati. Once the public face of OpenAI and the brain behind ChatGPT, Murati is now making headlines for two massive reasons: her explosive testimony against Sam Altman and the rapid rise of her new startup,

Thinking Machines Lab. As we move through May 2026, it is clear that Mira Murati is no longer just a technologist; she is a powerful independent force reshaping the future of artificial intelligence.

In a stunning video deposition on May 6, 2026, Mira Murati testified in the Musk v. Altman trial. She reportedly stated that Sam Altman created a “chaotic and difficult environment” during his time at OpenAI.

According to court reports, Mira Murati expressed concerns that Altman often told inconsistent things to different people, leading to a breakdown in trust. This testimony confirms the long-standing rumors about the internal struggle that led to the brief ousting of Altman in late 2023.

After leaving her role as CTO, Mira Murati founded Thinking Machines Lab. This startup has quickly reached a valuation of $12 billion, attracting top talent from Meta and Google. Her flagship product, Tinker, is rumored to be a general-purpose AI assistant that could challenge GPT-5.

Despite a “full-scale raid” on her staff by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, Mira Murati recently secured a multibillion-dollar cloud deal with Google, ensuring her team has the compute power to train next-generation models.

From appearing at the 2026 Met Gala in a classic black and gold gown to leading high-stakes infrastructure deals with Nvidia, Mira Murati is dominating both culture and technology. She has successfully transitioned from being an executive at OpenAI to a visionary founder.

Experts believe that her focus on “Safe AGI” and her deep technical expertise give Thinking Machines Lab a unique advantage over more commercially aggressive competitors.


  • Court Testimony: Mira Murati testified that Sam Altman’s management style was deceptive and caused “chaos” at OpenAI.
  • New Startup: Her company, Thinking Machines Lab, is now valued at $12 billion after raising $2 billion in funding.
  • Google Partnership: A massive deal with Google Cloud was signed in April 2026 to access Nvidia’s latest Blackwell chips.
  • Meta Conflict: Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly hired several founding members from Murati’s startup in a “hiring raid.”
  • Product Launch: The world is waiting for “Tinker,” the AI assistant that many believe will be a true ChatGPT killer.

Q1: Why did Mira Murati leave OpenAI? She left to create “time and space” for her own exploration, which eventually led to the birth of Thinking Machines Lab. Her recent court testimony suggests internal friction with Sam Altman also played a role.

Q2: What is Mira Murati’s new startup? Her startup is called Thinking Machines Lab. It focuses on building frontier AI models and general-purpose assistants.

Q3: Is Mira Murati Albanian? Yes, she is of Albanian descent and often represents her heritage at global events, including the recent 2026 Met Gala.