one year on
OpenAI CTO Mira Murati departs, followed by two top research executives
Mira Murati, Bob McGrew, and Barret Zoph leave the company in a single day, as OpenAI reportedly weighs a for-profit restructuring and a $150 billion funding round.
OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati announced Wednesday that she is leaving the company after six and a half years, saying in a memo that she wants ‘to create the time and space to do my own exploration.’ Within hours, CEO Sam Altman disclosed that Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew and Vice President of Research Barret Zoph are also departing. Altman wrote on X that the decisions were independent but that the timing made it sensible to handle them together for a smooth leadership transition.
The departures come as OpenAI’s board considers restructuring the firm as a for-profit business, with a source confirming the company would retain a non-profit segment as a separate entity. The shift would streamline investor relations and provide liquidity for employees. OpenAI is reportedly pursuing a funding round valuing the company at over $150 billion, with Thrive Capital leading a $1 billion investment and Tiger Global planning to join.
Murati, who briefly served as interim CEO after last November’s board ouster of Altman, is the latest high-profile exit. Co-founder Ilya Sutskever and safety leader Jan Leike left in May; co-founder John Schulman departed in August; and president Greg Brockman is on sabbatical. Of OpenAI’s original 13 founders, only three remain. Altman acknowledged the situation, saying, ‘I obviously won’t pretend it’s natural for this one to be so abrupt, but we are not a normal company.’
The record
Announced the departures in a post on X, calling them independent and amicable, saying the timing allowed for a smooth handover.
Called his departure a natural point to explore new opportunities outside OpenAI.
Said he is taking a break, adding that OpenAI has become the most important research and deployment company in the world.
One year later — open only if you can handle spoilers
The departures in late 2024 marked a turning point in OpenAI's governance saga, accelerating its shift to a for-profit structure. By mid-2026, the company had completed the restructuring and Altman had secured a significant equity stake, while several former executives had launched competing ventures. The 'exodus vs. renewal' debate proved prescient: the company continued to dominate the AI race, but the brain drain reshaped the competitive landscape.