"Exodus at Thinking Machines Lab: Cofounders Abandon Ship as OpenAI Seizes Opportunity"
A dramatic exodus has unfolded at Thinking Machines Lab, a fledgling AI startup co-founded by two high-profile former OpenAI executives. Barret Zoph and Luke Metz, who left OpenAI in 2024 to establish the lab with Mira Murati, are now rejoining their old employer, OpenAI.
The news comes as a major blow to Thinking Machines Lab, which has been rapidly expanding its operations and securing investments. The startup's main product, Tinker, allows developers to customize AI models on their own datasets, but it remains to be seen how the departure of Zoph and Metz will impact its growth trajectory.
Two narratives are emerging about why Zoph and Metz left Thinking Machines Lab. According to a source close to the company, they had shared confidential information with competitors, which led to their termination. However, OpenAI's CEO Fidji Simo has downplayed these allegations, stating that her team does not share the same concerns as Murati, the lab's current CEO.
Simo announced the reintegration of Zoph and Metz in a memo to staff, where she revealed that they would report directly to her. The hiring announcement timeline was accelerated, with Zoph and Metz set to work under Simo's guidance. Their return to OpenAI is seen as a significant coup for the company, which has been struggling to maintain its competitive edge in the AI space.
The departure of two prominent figures from Thinking Machines Lab underscores the cutthroat nature of the AI startup ecosystem. With investors increasingly eager to cash out on their bets, even well-funded startups are not immune to sudden changes in leadership and direction.
A dramatic exodus has unfolded at Thinking Machines Lab, a fledgling AI startup co-founded by two high-profile former OpenAI executives. Barret Zoph and Luke Metz, who left OpenAI in 2024 to establish the lab with Mira Murati, are now rejoining their old employer, OpenAI.
The news comes as a major blow to Thinking Machines Lab, which has been rapidly expanding its operations and securing investments. The startup's main product, Tinker, allows developers to customize AI models on their own datasets, but it remains to be seen how the departure of Zoph and Metz will impact its growth trajectory.
Two narratives are emerging about why Zoph and Metz left Thinking Machines Lab. According to a source close to the company, they had shared confidential information with competitors, which led to their termination. However, OpenAI's CEO Fidji Simo has downplayed these allegations, stating that her team does not share the same concerns as Murati, the lab's current CEO.
Simo announced the reintegration of Zoph and Metz in a memo to staff, where she revealed that they would report directly to her. The hiring announcement timeline was accelerated, with Zoph and Metz set to work under Simo's guidance. Their return to OpenAI is seen as a significant coup for the company, which has been struggling to maintain its competitive edge in the AI space.
The departure of two prominent figures from Thinking Machines Lab underscores the cutthroat nature of the AI startup ecosystem. With investors increasingly eager to cash out on their bets, even well-funded startups are not immune to sudden changes in leadership and direction.
... it's like déjà vu all over again! Remember when Microsoft made that big switch with Bing? Same thing happened... investors get nervous, founders start jumping ship 
, and suddenly your whole startup is up for grabs. I mean, who needs stability and security, right? It's like the Wild West out there in AI land 
. And now OpenAI gets to swoop in and grab some of their talent... it just feels like another example of how hard it is to keep a startup afloat 
.
I'm surprised they're taking this route. One minute you're running your own thing, and the next you're back with the old crew? It feels like a 180-degree turn for Thinking Machines Lab. I wonder if Mira Murati's role was more crucial than we thought... or if it just wasn't meant to be 
What's going on with the Tinker product tho? Is it really that bad if Zoph and Metz aren't there anymore? 
And can we talk about how fast this whole situation is unfolding? Like, didn't Thinking Machines Lab just start gaining some momentum? 
...
i'm so confused about why barret zoph and luke metz left in the first place they were like such big deal guys and now they're just chillin with openai again 
i mean i get it, openai must be offering them some sweet benefits or something because that's what happened last year when they jumped ship from openai 
but seriously though, thinking machines lab was getting so much hype and now it's all being crumbled by these two dudes 
i had them yesterday and they were literally life changing! 
anyway back to thinking machines lab... i mean what's up with these guys just abandoning ship after like 6 months? seems kinda weird, especially if they're rejoining openai. do you think mira murati is just getting tired of the startup game or was there something more going on behind the scenes? 
. I mean, what's the appeal? Thinking Machines Lab was making progress 
, but now it's all about who you know 
. Zoph and Metz were the brains behind the operation, and now they're gone for good 
. It's gonna be tough to recover from this 
either way, this shakeup is a major blow to thinking machines lab and the entire startup ecosystem 