Thinking Machines Raises $2B Led by Former OpenAI CTO — A New Frontier in Frontier AI?

This investment makes Thinking Machines one of the best-funded AI companies of 2025, and signals a rising power in the race to build artificial general intelligence (AGI) beyond today's large language models.

 Who Are the “Thinking Machines”?

Founded in late 2024, Thinking Machines has kept a low profile — until now. The startup’s mission is to develop post-LLM AI architectures with true multi-modal reasoning, long-term memory, and real-world interactivity.

Insiders say the company is building:

• AI systems that learn continuously from the physical world
• Modular intelligence units that collaborate, not just compute
• A proprietary thinking engine designed for real-time decisions in robotics, R&D, and edge environments

 The Power Behind the Funding

The round was led by Mira Murati, former CTO of OpenAI, who joined as Executive Chair and primary investor. Other backers include:

• Peter Thiel (Founders Fund)
• DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman
• Lux Capital
• Amazon Industrial AI Group

Sources suggest Murati personally contributed over 0M from her OpenAI exit package, betting on Thinking Machines as the “true next step” beyond ChatGPT and Gemini.

 Why This Matters

This funding isn’t just about capital — it’s about credibility and conviction. Thinking Machines is one of the few startups openly challenging the big three (OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic) by building from scratch rather than fine-tuning existing models.

“We’re not here to polish yesterday’s models — we’re inventing tomorrow’s minds,” said Thinking Machines CEO Dr. Alexei Khan in a rare comment. “This isn’t about GPT-5. It’s about GPT-Z.”

 Industry Reaction

The announcement has rippled across Silicon Valley and AI Twitter. Many see Murati’s move as both a philosophical departure from OpenAI’s path and a bold bet on decentralized AGI.

Others warn the scale of funding could raise safety and alignment concerns, especially with Thinking Machines planning to release open-source components in early 2026.

What’s Next?

• Closed alpha of the “Thinking Engine” is expected by Q1 2026
• A robotics integration partnership rumored with Boston Dynamics
• Hiring is underway across research, safety, and infrastructure

Cortex Hub Takeaway
B is more than a funding round — it's a declaration. If Thinking Machines delivers, it could reset the AI race entirely.