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AI Sales Head Zoph Departs OpenAI Again
19 Jun
Summary
- Barret Zoph has left OpenAI for the second time.
- He recently returned after a stint at a rival firm.
- His departure follows an earlier exit linked to misconduct allegations.
Barret Zoph, OpenAI's head of enterprise AI sales, has left the company for the second time. He had returned in mid-January after co-founding Thinking Machines Lab, an AI firm established by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.
Zoph's previous departure from OpenAI occurred in the fall of 2024. He then joined Thinking Machines Lab but left that role abruptly in January 2026 following reports of alleged misconduct. Murati confirmed his departure from the CTO position at that time.
His return to OpenAI earlier this year was part of a broader strategy to focus on key revenue drivers like enterprise solutions and coding, especially in anticipation of an upcoming IPO. Zoph's departure underscores potential internal shifts within the prominent AI company.
