MoneyThe story, in brief
Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines draws from Chinese rivals in debut AI model
$2B. That's what Mira Murati just raised for Thinking Machines—and her debut model is already borrowing playbook moves from Chinese competitors.
The KeyNews take
Why it matters
Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati's well-funded startup is signaling a shift in model architecture philosophy by adopting techniques proven by Chinese labs, suggesting the competitive pressure from DeepSeek/ByteDance is forcing even well-capitalized US founders to rethink their approach.
The key facts
5 to knowThinking Machines raised $2B at $12B valuation
Founded by Mira Murati (former OpenAI CTO)
Debut model incorporates design patterns from Chinese AI rivals
Funding round completed in 2025
Suggests convergence of US and Chinese model development strategies
Go to the source
Financial Times Technologyft.com
Publisher excerpt: Former OpenAI CTO’s start-up raised $2bn last year at $12bn valuation