Albania’s government has announced a €8.8 million investment in the AI startup Machine Thinking Lab, founded by Albanian AI expert, ex-OpenAI CTO, Mira Murati. This decision marks the first revision of the state budget for 2025.
According to a government report, the funds (equivalent to 1 billion LEK) will be allocated through the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation (MEKI), acting as the sole shareholder of the Albanian Investment Corporation (KISH) sh.a. The investment will be covered using funds administered by the Seized and Confiscated Assets Administration Agency.
Officials say the government’s involvement in Machine Thinking Lab could offer economic benefits and support Albania’s engagement with emerging AI technologies.
Albania’s ambitions in technology and responsible innovation
Mira Murati is seen as a symbol of Albania’s potential on the world stage. She played a key role in leading the development of advanced AI models like ChatGPT, DALL·E, Sora, and Codex. Her work helped expand the capabilities of AI in language, visual creativity, and code generation. Murati also advocates for responsible AI, emphasizing safety, transparency, and the ethical use of the technology.
“This partnership will serve as a powerful signal that Albania is ready to support and develop groundbreaking technologies,” the government report states. “Beyond its economic impact, this investment will strengthen Albania’s image as a serious player in the global race for AI innovation and attract further international investment.”
Last September, Murati announced her decision to step down as OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer. “After much reflection, I have made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI … I’m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration,” she said.
Some of the founding members of Murati’s new startup, Machine Thinking Lab, include Alex Gartrell, former Leader of Server Operating Systems at Meta; Barret Zoph, formerly VP of Research (post-training) at OpenAI, co-creator of ChatGPT; Chih-Kuan Yeh, previously Building data for Google Gemini and Mistral AI; among others.
As reported by TechCrunch, Thinking Machines Lab is aiming to close one of the largest seed funding rounds in history, targeting $2 billion, which would value the company at $10 billion.
Strategic tech investments as part of EU integration and economic modernization efforts
On April 15, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced for the first time that Albania will be a co-financier of Mira Murati’s newest startup in the field of artificial intelligence. He emphasized the government’s new approach to economic development through strategic investment in private ventures. “The time has come for the state to enter businesses — not just to help finance them, but to also benefit from them,” the Prime Minister stated. He also revealed that he personally proposed the initiative to Mira Murati, encouraging her to involve Albania in her new enterprise.
The investment is also aligned with Albania’s broader goals of integrating into the European Union. The Prime Minister noted that AI is already being used to assist in the harmonization of Albanian legislation with EU standards.
