The ongoing competition for talent within the AI sector has intensified, marked by recent departures from Thinking Machines Lab. Co-founders Barret Zoph and Luke Metz have transitioned back to OpenAI, following Zoph's termination as CTO due to alleged unethical conduct. Reports suggest that further exits from Thinking Machines are anticipated as staff consider similar moves.
Founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati in 2025, Thinking Machines secured a substantial $2 billion seed funding round this past summer, achieving a valuation of $12 billion. The company later introduced Tinker, an API designed for fine-tuning large language models. Murati confirmed Zoph's departure in a social media post, while Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of Applications, expressed excitement over Zoph, Metz, and another staff member, Sam Schoenholz, rejoining the team.
Behind the scenes, conflicts were evident, as Zoph had informed Murati of his departure intentions shortly before his dismissal. Sources indicated that he may have disclosed sensitive information to competitors. This situation reflects a broader trend in the AI industry, where talent frequently shifts between organizations, reminiscent of previous high-profile movements, such as Meta's recruitment efforts from OpenAI.