HN Explorer

Ask HN: How did Mira Murati rise to OpenAI's CTO role?

12 points by eclectic29 ↗ HN
Based on her LinkedIn profile she doesn't seem to have much experience in ML/AI and barely any experience in programming. She seems to have played the role of product manager most of the time. How does someone like her rise to CTO? Genuinely curious. I've aspired to be CTO but have been repeatedly told that the position needs a mix of business, technical and management acumen. How did she acquire all of this so fast? Is she wicket smart?

11 comments

[ 6.3 ms ] story [ 46.5 ms ] thread
jsjsof
Soft skills over hard skills?
v0idzer0
There are many ways to skin a cat
norulez
There are no specific rules or tests to become a CTO. Anyone can hold that position. I know of a company where the CEO and CTO were appointed to tick the diversity box.

In fact, US government has even gone to the extent of employing in their administration, a luggage thief, just in the name of diversity. Not joking, search for Sam Brinton who was the head of nuclear waste management in US administration.

alxmng
A quick search reveals they were fired because of the luggage theft.
aborsy
The CEO doesn’t have AI experience either. In this case, diversity could have played a major role.
butternoodle
That's an interesting take. What makes you think diversity played a major role? Does this happen often in your country? Where I am "diversity" hiring would be regarded as dysfunctional at best.
aborsy
What makes me to think that diversity could have played a major factor is my observation with similar hires in other places, my experience in the hiring committees recently (members saying there is pressure to hire a female), and the fact that this person’s qualifications seem to be less than those of others excepted to be available for the role of CTO at such renowned company.
akg_67
Majority of good CTOs I have met are good communicator and persuader first and good technologist second. You can be the technology genius but if you are unable to communicate and persuade effectively, you're not going to last long.
paulcole
Kind of disheartening to see multiple comments here hinting or outright stating that this was a diversity hire. If we were talking about Mike Murray, I doubt those same people (possibly anyone) would be saying he got the job because of systemic racism, injustice, and inequity.
eaenki
prolly cus shes kinda good looking to sam