Thinking Machines Lab, an AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has secured a $2 billion seed round, elevating its valuation to $12 billion. This funding round, led by Andreessen Horowitz and supported by tech giants such as Nvidia, Accel, and CISCO, marks one of the largest in Silicon Valley’s history. Despite being less than a year old, the company has already drawn significant attention from investors eager to back new AI ventures. Murati has hinted at a forthcoming product release that includes a notable open-source component aimed at aiding researchers and startups in developing custom AI models. The startup aims to advance collaborative general intelligence by creating multimodal AI that aligns with natural human interaction. Although its exact offerings remain under wraps, the company is actively recruiting talent with proven experience in AI product development. In recent months, Meta explored acquiring Thinking Machines Lab, but discussions did not advance to a formal offer. With substantial funding, the startup is positioned as a potential competitor to established AI leaders like OpenAI and Google DeepMind, despite the challenges of breaking new ground in a fiercely competitive field.
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