During her time at Tesla and Leap Motion, Murati was introduced to AI. In an interview with Wired, she expressed her strong belief in the potential of AGI, stating that she wanted to be at the forefront of this groundbreaking technology after experiencing its application in the real world at her previous positions. At the time, OpenAI and DeepMind were the primary organizations exploring the technology, and she aspired to be involved from an early stage. In a conversation with Fortune, she explained that she chose OpenAI because she was aligned with the company’s mission to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

Upon joining OpenAI, Murati found a nonprofit research lab with only a small team of employees, which is a stark contrast to its current state with over 700 employees and a few investors supporting the project. She believed that transitioning to a for-profit model was necessary, as large-scale research requires substantial funding.

She noted that the company’s culture has evolved significantly since her arrival, with a greater focus on product development than pure research. However, Murati emphasized to Wired the importance of preserving the nonprofit’s mission.

Murati also advocates for public testing as a means to enhance generative AI. In an interview with FastCompany, she highlighted the significance of ensuring that the development of this technology is progressing in the right direction, rather than in isolation.