Former OpenAI Product Manager Launches AI Startup Worktrace AI Backed by Mira Murati

Angela Jiang, a former OpenAI product manager and one of the company’s earliest product leaders, has launched a new AI startup called Worktrace AI, backed by Mira Murati, the former CTO of OpenAI. The company is focused on helping large enterprises identify and automate repetitive workplace tasks by observing employee behavior, using AI to learn and replicate human workflows. Worktrace AI was reportedly in talks this summer to raise a $10 million seed round at a $50 million valuation, according to correspondence reviewed by Business Insider. Although the company has a website and LinkedIn presence, it has not yet made any public announcements about its official launch. Jiang declined to comment, and her cofounder, Deepak Vasisht, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Illinois, did not respond to requests for comment. The startup is part of a growing trend of AI ventures founded by former OpenAI employees, many of which have secured substantial funding before releasing a product or generating revenue. Worktrace AI has attracted backing from several prominent figures within the OpenAI ecosystem, including Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT; Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s chief strategy officer; and Joanne Jang, who led the team shaping ChatGPT’s behavior. The company is also supported by OpenAI’s startup fund, as well as venture capital firms 8VC and Conviction. Jiang joined OpenAI in its early days as the third product manager and played a key role in launching the models behind the viral success of ChatGPT in late 2022. She later worked on the company’s public policy team before leaving in December 2024, according to her LinkedIn profile. Worktrace AI’s approach aligns with a broader shift in Silicon Valley toward AI systems that can observe, understand, and automate real-world tasks. This focus comes as OpenAI and other AI labs intensify efforts to evaluate model performance on practical, real-world applications—such as drafting legal documents—rather than just benchmark tests. Jiang’s venture follows a wave of high-profile startups from former OpenAI insiders. Mira Murati’s own company, Thinking Machines Lab, recently closed a $2 billion seed round and is now valued at $12 billion. Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s former chief scientist, co-founded Safe Superintelligence, which is valued at $32 billion. Meanwhile, Periodic Labs, co-founded by researcher William Fedus, raised $300 million to develop AI systems designed to function as “AI scientists.” These developments highlight the ongoing momentum and deep talent pool emerging from OpenAI’s early years, as former employees turn their expertise into new ventures aimed at advancing the next generation of AI.