Mira Murati, the chief technology officer of OpenAI, announced her resignation on Wednesday, expressing her desire for “the time and space to do my own exploration.” Murati has been a pivotal figure in the company that developed ChatGPT, temporarily leading it last year during a tumultuous period when CEO Sam Altman’s position was uncertain.
In a message to OpenAI employees shared on X, Murati acknowledged that while there is never an ideal moment to leave a place one cares for, she feels that now is the right time. Altman responded on the platform, emphasizing Murati’s immense impact on OpenAI and expressing his personal gratitude for her support during challenging times.
In a detailed post later that night, Altman praised Murati for her crucial role in OpenAI’s journey over the last six and a half years and expressed sadness at her departure but affirmed his support for her decision. Alongside Murati’s announcement, he also revealed the departures of chief research officer Bob McGrew and vice president of research Barret Zoph, while a successor for Murati has yet to be named.
Murati, who previously worked at Tesla and Leap Motion before joining OpenAI in 2018, arrived when the organization was a small nonprofit dedicated to developing AI technologies. Since the success of ChatGPT, OpenAI has transformed into a major commercial player and has been reconsidering its nonprofit structure amid significant investments from companies like Microsoft.
Believing that AI represents a pivotal technology for humanity, Murati had previously highlighted OpenAI’s mission to create beneficial technologies for people. OpenAI faced a significant challenge last November when the board removed Altman temporarily, leading to widespread staff unrest and ultimately resulting in his reinstatement.
Since then, several leaders within OpenAI have left, including Ilya Sutskever, a key figure behind the company’s early work, who resigned in May, and additional notable exits throughout the summer. In contrast, former executives have ventured to create their own AI firms, including Sutskever’s Safe Superintelligence and the founding of Anthropic by former research chief Dario Amodei and his sister.
Despite her resignation, Murati’s final official day at OpenAI has yet to be determined, with ongoing discussions aimed at ensuring a seamless transition.