The email landed with a thud: two co-founders gone. The air in the Thinking Machines office, already thin with startup anxiety, grew heavy with betrayal. It was a scene straight out of Silicon Valley’s most cutthroat dramas, but this time, the plot twist hit close to home: OpenAI was poaching its rivals.
This week, Barret Zoph and Luke Metz, two of the minds behind Thinking Machines Lab, returned to OpenAI. Sources whisper that more are soon to follow. Is this the new normal in AI, or something far more personal?
In case you missed it, Thinking Machines, conceived by OpenAI’s former CTO Mira Murati in 2025, burst onto the scene with a massive $2 billion seed round (€1.85 billion), backed by the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia, and AMD, instantly valuing the company at $12 billion (€11.1 billion). Later, they launched Tinker, an API designed for fine-tuning those sprawling large language models.
Tech reporter Kylie Robinson first broke the news Wednesday that Zoph had been ousted from his CTO position at Thinking Machines over “unethical conduct,” according to inside sources. Murati herself confirmed the departure in a post on X.
Just an hour later, Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, countered with her own post on X, announcing that Zoph, Metz, and another Thinking Machines staffer, Sam Schoenholz, would be joining OpenAI.
“This has been brewing for weeks,” Simo stated, “and we’re ecstatic to welcome them to the team.”
However, beneath the surface, things appear to have been far more turbulent. A Wired memo revealed that Zoph informed Murati of his potential departure on Monday, only to be terminated two days later. Sources close to Thinking Machines suggest Zoph shared confidential information with competitors. Simo’s memo also stated that OpenAI does not share Murati’s concerns about Zoph’s behavior.
Unfortunately for Thinking Machines, this might just be the beginning. Alex Heath reported on his Substack that more Thinking Machines employees are considering a move to OpenAI. This talent exodus feels like a dam is breaking.
This is the most recent illustration of the revolving door phenomenon that AI startups have become, with researchers, staff, and even co-founders hopping between companies with increasing frequency. Last year, Meta grabbed headlines for its aggressive recruitment of OpenAI talent, spending millions (€1 million = $1.08) in the process. But the allure was fleeting; some researchers returned to OpenAI in less than a month.
But what’s driving this talent carousel?
One analyst observed me recently that there’s no real loyalty; only opportunity. What makes this episode especially spicy is the backstory. Murati, Zoph, and Metz are all OpenAI alumni. Plus, Murati reportedly played a pivotal role in the brief ousting of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman back in 2023.
The Wall Street Journal reported last year that Murati shared Slack screenshots that exposed Altman’s leadership issues and ethical missteps to OpenAI’s board. She even served as interim CEO during OpenAI’s brief leadership vacuum.
After Altman’s reinstatement, Murati returned to her CTO role, only to announce in 2024 that she was stepping down to “create the time and space to do my own exploration.” She then co-founded Thinking Machines with Zoph and Metz.
But even in an industry known for its fast-paced job market, it’s startling to see half of Thinking Machine’s co-founders depart so quickly. Another co-founder, Andrew Tulloch, left for Meta last fall.
OpenAI and Thinking Machines did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Gizmodo.
What are the ethical implications of talent poaching in the AI industry?
The fight for AI talent is fierce. Startups and established giants alike are locked in a constant battle to secure the best minds. But where do you draw the line? When does aggressive recruitment become outright poaching? The question is difficult, because there’s no one answer. Each situation varies. What’s clear is that the potential for conflicts of interest and the erosion of trust is real.
These companies are like ships passing in the night; perhaps the best course of action is just to stay out of each other’s path. Yet, what happens when there’s only one port?
How does the competition for AI talent affect innovation?
On one hand, talent mobility can drive innovation by spreading knowledge and expertise across different organizations. It fosters competition and encourages companies to offer better incentives and opportunities. On the other hand, the constant churn can disrupt projects, create instability, and stifle long-term research efforts. If everyone is always chasing the next big paycheck, who is left to build something lasting?
What can startups do to retain their talent in the face of aggressive recruitment?
Money isn’t always enough. Startups need to foster a sense of purpose, offer meaningful challenges, and create a culture where employees feel valued and have a clear path for growth. They might need to focus on things like employee ownership, flexible work arrangements, and investment in professional development. At the end of the day, maybe the only thing a startup can do is simply hope the talent *wants* to be there.
Ultimately, the question becomes: are these moves calculated strikes in a talent war, or is there a deeper game being played out between Altman and Murati?