Why did Barret Zoph and Luke Metz leave Thinking Machines Lab?

Barret Zoph and Luke Metz, co-founders of Thinking Machines Lab, have returned to OpenAI.

What is Thinking Machines Lab?

Thinking Machines Lab is an AI startup co-founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.

Has OpenAI hired back former employees before?

Yes, OpenAI has seen former employees depart to launch ventures and has also welcomed them back.

Home / Technology / AI Founders Return to OpenAI Amid Startup Shake-up

AI Founders Return to OpenAI Amid Startup Shake-up

15 Jan

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Summary

Two co-founders and another staffer have departed Thinking Machines Lab.
The departing individuals are returning to OpenAI, their former employer.
This occurs less than a year after Thinking Machines Lab's founding.

AI Founders Return to OpenAI Amid Startup Shake-up

Less than a year after its founding, Thinking Machines Lab, helmed by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is experiencing a significant talent drain. Co-founders Barret Zoph (also CTO) and Luke Metz, along with another key staffer, Sam Schoenholz, have departed the startup. These individuals are returning to OpenAI, their former employer, as confirmed by OpenAI's CEO of applications, Fidji Simo. This move marks a notable shift for Murati's venture, which had quickly amassed substantial financial backing.

Zoph had previously served as VP of research at OpenAI, while Metz and Schoenholz were part of OpenAI's technical staff. Murati herself departed OpenAI in September 2024 to co-found Thinking Machines Lab. The startup had secured a $2 billion seed round last July, valuing it at $12 billion, with major investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, and Nvidia. The simultaneous departure of two co-founders, including the CTO, is a significant setback for the company.