At a Glance
- Barret Zoph and Luke Metz leave Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab after less than a year
- Both co-founders return to OpenAI alongside researcher Sam Schoenholz
- New CTO Soumith Chintala promoted from within at Thinking Machines
Why it matters: The simultaneous departure of two co-founders from a $12 billion AI startup signals potential turmoil in the competitive AI talent wars
Less than a year after its founding, Thinking Machines Lab-the AI startup launched by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati-has lost two of its three co-founders to its former employer.
Executive Exodus
Barret Zoph, who served as Thinking Machines’ CTO, is departing the company effective immediately. Murati announced the move Wednesday on social media platform X, stating: “We have parted ways with Barret. Soumith Chintala will be the new CTO of Thinking Machines. He is a brilliant and seasoned leader who has made important contributions to the AI field for over a decade, and he’s been a major contributor to our team. We could not be more excited to have him take on this new responsibility.”
The announcement notably omitted any mention of co-founder Luke Metz or other departures. However, just 58 minutes later, Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications, revealed that both Zoph and Metz would be returning to OpenAI.
“Excited to welcome Barret Zoph, Luke Metz, and Sam Schoenholz back to OpenAI! This has been in the works for several weeks, and we’re thrilled to have them join the team,” Simo posted on X.
Background of the Departures
The talent shuffle represents a significant reversal for Thinking Machines, which had assembled what industry observers considered a powerhouse team of AI researchers. Zoph previously served as OpenAI’s VP of research before co-founding Thinking Machines, bringing six years of experience as a Google research scientist. Metz had spent years on OpenAI’s technical staff before joining the startup venture.
The third co-founder, Andrew Tulloch, had already departed in October to join Meta, further thinning the founding team’s ranks.
Financial Stakes
Thinking Machines had achieved remarkable financial success despite its brief existence. The startup closed a $2 billion seed round last July, with Andreessen Horowitz leading the investment. Other participants included Accel, Nvidia, AMD, and Jane Street, valuing the company at $12 billion-an extraordinary valuation for such a young enterprise.
The departure of two co-founders simultaneously-especially when one served as CTO-could be perceived as a particularly meaningful setback for the startup. Industry analysts note that losing founding talent so quickly after launch often signals deeper organizational challenges.
Tensions Surface
Sources suggest the split between Zoph and Thinking Machines wasn’t harmonious. Wired reported that tensions had been building for weeks, a timeline that aligns with Simo’s statement about the return being “in the works” for an extended period.
Murati’s brief announcement, lacking the typical praise and well-wishes common in executive departure statements, further hints at potential friction. The contrast between her terse acknowledgment and Simo’s enthusiastic welcome back to OpenAI was particularly stark.
Broader Industry Implications
The talent movement reflects the fluid nature of employment within Silicon Valley’s AI sector, where researchers and engineers frequently move between competing firms. However, the departure of co-founders from a startup less than a year after its founding is particularly notable, especially given the company’s massive valuation and high-profile backing.
OpenAI itself has experienced similar founder departures, with John Schulman leaving for competitor Anthropic in August 2024 before later joining Thinking Machines as Chief Scientist. This pattern of talent migration between major AI firms has become increasingly common as competition for top researchers intensifies.
What This Means for Thinking Machines
With Soumith Chintala stepping into the CTO role, Thinking Machines must quickly stabilize its technical leadership. Chintala brings over a decade of AI field experience and had been serving as a major contributor to the team prior to his promotion.
The company retains significant financial resources from its massive funding round, providing runway to rebuild its technical team. However, losing two co-founders simultaneously creates both operational and perception challenges that could impact future hiring and investor confidence.
Key Takeaways
- Thinking Machines Lab loses two co-founders to OpenAI within hours of each other
- The departures follow co-founder Andrew Tulloch’s exit to Meta in October
- New CTO Soumith Chintala promoted from within to replace Barret Zoph
- The startup faces rebuilding its technical leadership while maintaining its $12 billion valuation
- The talent shuffle highlights the ongoing competition for AI expertise among major tech firms
