Leaders at Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab faced an internal challenge last summer when cofounder and former CTO Barret Zoph was confronted about an alleged relationship with another employee. This situation, characterized by sources as a form of “misconduct,” has been mentioned in previous reports, although the identities of the involved parties remain undisclosed to protect their privacy. The employee in question held a leadership role in a different department and is no longer with the lab.
The confrontation initiated by Murati aimed to address the implications of the relationship. However, following their discussion, sources noted that the partnership between Murati and Zoph deteriorated. This breakdown prompted Zoph to explore opportunities with competing firms, ultimately leading to discussions with Meta Superintelligence Labs.
Zoph’s transition to OpenAI came after weeks of exploration; Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications, confirmed that the hiring process had been underway for some time. Simo expressed no concerns regarding Zoph’s ethical standards, despite the issues raised by Thinking Machines.
In addition to Zoph’s departure, this week saw another cofounder, Luke Metz, and at least three additional researchers from Thinking Machines also join OpenAI. Earlier, in October, cofounder Andrew Tulloch had left for Meta, reflecting a significant shift in the talent landscape at Thinking Machines.
While the growing tensions between Murati and Zoph mark a critical point within the startup, they are not the sole reason behind the broader employee exodus. Reports indicate a lack of alignment among Thinking Machines’ leadership regarding the company’s strategic direction and future projects. Despite these challenges, the company recently sought to raise capital at a valuation that soared from $12 billion to an ambitious $50 billion.
As the situation unfolds, Thinking Machines Lab has opted not to publicly comment on these developments.
