Mira Murati - Who is the woman who refused the $1 billion offer from Meta?

Mira Murati was the brains behind a number of high-profile AI projects at OpenAI, including ChatGPT, DALL·E, Codex, and most recently, Sora. Known as the “intellectual heart” of AI strategy, Murati has helped shape the way humans interact with artificial intelligence in modern life.

Mira Murati – the woman with an AI vision beyond billions of dollars. (Source: Getty Images)

Mira Murati was born in Vlore, Albania – contrary to some rumors that she is of Indian descent. After studying in Canada, she moved to the United States to pursue her passion for advanced technology. Murati graduated with a degree in Mathematics from Colby College and then earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Dartmouth College (Thayer School of Engineering) in 2012.

Prior to joining OpenAI, she worked at leading corporations such as Zodiac Aerospace, Tesla, and Leap Motion, where she gained significant experience in high-tech and human-machine interfaces.

In February 2025, Murati founded Thinking Machines Lab, a startup valued at nearly $12 billion without launching a product. The company’s mission is to develop AI tools that are accessible, customizable, and transparent – to break the technological monopoly of Silicon Valley giants.

Meta, run by Mark Zuckerberg, offered $200 million to $1 billion to buy Thinking Machines Lab or lure Murati to join its AI Superintelligence team. Murati’s response was a clear no: “So far, no one on the team has accepted that offer.”

At the World Economic Forum 2025 in Davos, Murati once said: “AI without values is intelligence without conscience.” She currently advises the European Commission on AI policy – a rare role for a startup founder.

Mira Murati at a talk on artificial intelligence – where she not only spreads the ideal of humanistic technology. (Source: Getty Images)

While there are no official figures, Mira Murati’s personal wealth is estimated to be between $5–10 million. However, her true worth lies in her influence in the AI community and her iconic decisions.

Mira Murati isn’t just the woman who said “No” to $1 billion – she’s also the face of a new trend in the tech industry: Embracing ethics, transparency, and broad access to AI.