- By Kamal Kumar
- Sat, 18 Nov 2023 09:35 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Sam Altman Sacked: Mira Murati takes over the baton of ChatGPT's maker OpenAI after the company announced on Friday that it is letting the popular CEO Sam Altman off the hook. The company while declaring the removal of Sam, said that it is looking for a suitable permanent alternative for Altman.
The company's announcement stoked discussion on the decision to fire Sam Altman, it also brought ex-Tesla employee Mira Murati into the spotlight.
Who is Mira Murati?
Mira Murati, a mechanical engineer by education, joined OpenAI in 2018 as the chief technical officer (CTO) of the firm. Born in Albania to Albanian parents, Mira Murati's journey has taken her from her roots to the forefront of the artificial intelligence industry. Educated in Canada, she did mechanical engineering at Dartmouth College, where she built a hybrid racecar during her undergraduate years.
What is Murati's Tesla connection?
Murati's professional trajectory includes an internship at Goldman Sachs during her time in school. However, her career took flight when she joined Tesla, where she played a pivotal role in the development of the Model X car. She worked at Tesla for 3 years, reaching the senior product manager level at the company, before exiting.
Starting her journey in the world of start-ups, Murati contributed to Leap Motion, a company dedicated to developing a computing system for tracking hand and finger motions.
In 2018, Murati joined OpenAI. Last year, she was made CTO of the company which hailed her experience in AI as unique in the latest press note.
"Given her long tenure and close engagement with all aspects of the company, including her experience in AI governance and policy, the board believes she is uniquely qualified for the role and anticipates a seamless transition while it conducts a formal search for a permanent CEO,” the company said in its statement.
Murati, in a memo reviewed by Bloomberg, expressed feeling "honoured and humbled" to step into the leadership role amid the company's evolution.
Addressing the workforce in the wake of Altman's departure, Murati urged her colleagues to focus on their work. She stressed the importance of actively participating in a future where AI is harnessed for positive impact.
Maintaining transparency about OpenAI's partnerships, Murati assured continuity with Microsoft Corp., the company's largest investor. Notably, she refrained from explicitly mentioning Altman in her memo.
Before her ventures in the tech industry, Murati worked as an engineer at a French aerospace company, adding another layer to her rich and diverse professional background. With a keen eye on the intersection of technology, ethics, and progress, Mira Murati stands at the helm of OpenAI, steering the company towards a future where artificial intelligence is a force for good.