Mira Murati is not OpenAI’s current CEO. She served as interim CEO during the company’s leadership crisis from November 17 to November 29, 2023. Sam Altman then returned as CEO, Murati returned to her chief technology officer role, and she left OpenAI in September 2024. OpenAI’s current structure page identifies Altman as CEO. By June 2026, reporting described Murati as CEO of Thinking Machines Lab.
Why the “new CEO” description is outdated
OpenAI appointed Murati interim CEO on November 17, 2023, after its board removed Sam Altman. The appointment was explicitly temporary: OpenAI said the board was searching for a permanent successor. Murati had been on OpenAI’s leadership team for five years and had led research, product and safety functions.
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That transition ended 12 days later. On November 29, OpenAI announced Altman’s return as CEO and Murati’s return to CTO. Altman stated: “I am returning to OpenAI as CEO. Mira will return to her role as CTO.” Murati therefore did not become OpenAI’s permanent chief executive, and she and Altman did not simultaneously hold the company’s CEO role.
What happened during the 2023 leadership crisis?
November 17: interim appointment
The board’s decision to remove Altman created an immediate leadership gap. OpenAI selected Murati, then its chief technology officer, to run the company while it conducted a search for a permanent CEO. Her mandate was continuity during the crisis rather than a confirmed long-term appointment.
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November 29: Altman returns
OpenAI reinstated Altman as CEO and restored Murati to CTO. The reversal resolved the short interim period and ended Murati’s CEO duties.
When did Mira Murati leave OpenAI?
Murati announced her departure in September 2024, after six and a half years at OpenAI, according to Axios. Explaining the decision, she wrote: “I’m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration.” She was no longer an OpenAI executive after that departure.
Who is OpenAI’s CEO now?
OpenAI’s official structure information, updated October 28, 2025, lists Sam Altman as CEO. That page also describes OpenAI’s nonprofit-to-public-benefit-corporation structure. The company’s current leadership should therefore be distinguished from Murati’s brief interim appointment in 2023.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is Mira Murati doing after OpenAI?
Reporting published June 4, 2026 described Murati as chief executive officer of Thinking Machines Lab. The company was reported to have shipped Tinker, an application programming interface for fine-tuning open-source AI models. This is her post-OpenAI leadership role; it is not an OpenAI position.
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Murati’s interim tenure versus Altman’s restored leadership
| Comparison | Mira Murati | Sam Altman |
|---|---|---|
| Tenure in the 2023 crisis | Interim CEO from November 17 to November 29, 2023 | Returned as CEO on November 29, 2023 |
| Formal mandate | Lead during a transition while the board searched for a permanent successor | Continuing CEO after his return |
| OpenAI status now | Former OpenAI executive; left in September 2024 | Current CEO listed by OpenAI’s structure page |
| Role after the crisis | Returned to chief technology officer before leaving the company | CEO |
What can reasonably be concluded about Murati?
- She was a senior OpenAI leader before the crisis, with responsibility spanning research, product and safety functions.
- Her CEO appointment was deliberately interim and lasted only through the November 2023 transition.
- She resumed the CTO role when Altman returned, rather than becoming a permanent CEO.
- She left OpenAI in September 2024 after six and a half years with the company.
- By June 2026, she was publicly associated with Thinking Machines Lab as its CEO and with the Tinker fine-tuning API.
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