Nvidia makes 'significant investment' in Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab

Nvidia has entered into a multi-year strategic partnership, making a significant investment in Thinking Machines Lab, an artificial intelligence startup founded by Mira Murati. This collaboration was officially announced on Tuesday, reflecting Nvidia's commitment to advancing AI technology. Thinking Machines Lab, launched by Murati in the previous year, is dedicated to developing AI systems that are more understandable, customizable, and generally capable, as stated on its website. Despite its ambitious goals, the startup has kept its projects largely confidential, revealing limited information about its long-term vision. Nvidia has solidified its position as a leader in the AI boom, primarily due to its production of graphics processing units (GPUs) that are essential for training AI models and managing extensive workloads. The company has also invested in several significant AI startups in recent years, including OpenAI and Anthropic. Mira Murati, the former CTO of OpenAI who briefly served as its interim CEO during a pivotal moment in 2023, has remained relatively low-profile since her departure from the organization. With this partnership, Thinking Machines Lab plans to integrate at least one gigawatt of Nvidia's advanced Vera Rubin systems, which are set to launch in the latter half of the year. While the specifics of Nvidia's investment remain undisclosed, Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "Thinking Machines has assembled a world-class team to push the boundaries of AI. We are excited to work together to bring their innovative vision to life." The startup recently introduced its inaugural product, Tinker, an API designed to help researchers and developers refine AI models. In July, Thinking Machines Lab successfully raised $2 billion from investors. Murati's contributions to the tech industry were recognized this year as she was featured on the third annual CNBC Changemakers list.