Janice R. Andrews
Mira Murati, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, has officially announced her departure after more than six years with the company. In a note shared with her team and posted on social media, Murati said she’s leaving to “create the time and space to do [her] own exploration.” Her exit is the latest in a series of major changes at OpenAI, following the departure of two other key executives, Greg Brockman and John Schulman, in August.
Shifts in Leadership at OpenAI
Murati joined OpenAI in 2018 and briefly stepped in as interim CEO in November 2023, during the brief period when Sam Altman, the company’s co-founder, was ousted by the board. When Altman returned to lead the company, Murati resumed her role as CTO and continued to drive groundbreaking AI innovations.
Reflecting on her time at OpenAI, Murati expressed deep appreciation for the experience, calling it “an extraordinary privilege” to work with such a pioneering team. She highlighted the development of key projects like speech-to-speech technology and OpenAI o1, saying these milestones marked a “new era in interaction and intelligence.”
“I’m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration,” she wrote. “Our work didn’t just create smarter AI models; we transformed how AI systems learn and reason.”
Her decision to leave comes shortly after the announcement that OpenAI’s president and co-founder, Greg Brockman, would be taking a sabbatical, and co-founder John Schulman would be moving to the AI firm Anthropic.
Murati’s Impact on OpenAI
During her tenure as CTO, Murati played a key role in leading OpenAI’s technical developments, from AI model innovations to safety research. Under her guidance, OpenAI made important advances in creating AI models that are more intuitive, adaptable, and secure.
One of her biggest achievements was overseeing the development of speech-to-speech technology and OpenAI’s latest model, OpenAI o1. Murati described these developments as the beginning of a new phase in AI, where systems can better understand and interact with the world around them.
“Our success is a testament to the teamwork and dedication of this incredible group,” Murati said. “We didn’t just build smarter models, we changed the way AI systems solve complex problems.”
More Changes at OpenAI
Along with Murati’s departure, OpenAI is also seeing other leadership shifts. Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew and Vice President of Research Barret Zoph are both stepping down as well. According to Sam Altman, these departures were independent decisions, but the timing aligned to create a smoother transition for the company.
To fill the gaps, OpenAI has promoted Mark Chen to Senior Vice President of Research, Josh Achiam to Head of Mission Alignment, and Mark Knight to Chief Information Security Officer. These internal moves aim to stabilize leadership as the company navigates this wave of exits.
What’s Next for OpenAI?
With the departure of key figures like Murati, Brockman, and Schulman, there’s a lot of curiosity about how OpenAI will move forward. Murati, for her part, is stepping away to focus on personal exploration, but she leaves behind a legacy of innovation and progress.
“I will always be rooting for you all,” Murati wrote in her farewell note.
As OpenAI navigates these changes, its role as a leader in AI technology remains secure, but the company will undoubtedly face new challenges and opportunities as it adjusts to fresh leadership and new directions.
