OpenAI Snatches Key Talent from Thinking Machines Lab
OpenAI has scored a significant victory in the fierce battle for artificial intelligence expertise. The company successfully recruited three founding members from Thinking Machines Lab, the AI startup led by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.
The Talent Exodus Details
Brett Zoph, who served as Thinking Machines Lab's Chief Technology Officer, is returning to OpenAI. He is joined by Luke Metz and Sam Schoenholz, both former OpenAI employees who helped establish the startup. Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of Applications, confirmed these hires in a social media post on Wednesday, January 14.
Zoph will report directly to Simo. Metz and Schoenholz will work under Zoph's leadership. Reports emerged on Thursday, January 15, suggesting at least two more researchers from the lab might be departing. Lia Guy and Ian O'Connell were named, with Guy reportedly heading to OpenAI.
A Clash of Narratives
The circumstances surrounding Zoph's departure from Thinking Machines Lab are contested. According to tech publication Core Memory, Mira Murati informed her staff that Zoph's employment was terminated due to "unethical conduct."
OpenAI's leadership presented a different story. Simo stated the hiring process for Zoph and his colleagues had been ongoing for several weeks. An internal memo, cited by Bloomberg, quoted Simo explaining Zoph had informed Murati of his potential departure on Monday, leading to his firing that day. Simo explicitly dismissed the ethical concerns raised by Thinking Machines Lab.
The Bigger Picture: An AI Talent War
This incident highlights the intense competition for top AI researchers. Newly formed research labs face immense pressure from established tech giants with vast financial resources.
- Startups like Thinking Machines Lab often offer founding teams equity, a long-term bet on future value.
- In contrast, companies like Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, and especially Meta are deploying enormous cash compensation packages to attract talent. Reports indicate some offers exceed $100 million.
This financial disparity makes it incredibly difficult for new entrants to retain their star researchers.
What is Thinking Machines Lab?
Founded by Mira Murati after her notable tenure at OpenAI, where she helped develop ChatGPT, Thinking Machines Lab champions open AI research. This mission echoes OpenAI's original, more open philosophy before its growth led to a more closed approach.
The startup launched its first product, Tinker, in October 2025. This API-based tool helps developers fine-tune large language models (LLMs) efficiently on distributed GPUs.
Thinking Machines Lab has generated substantial investor interest. It secured a massive $2 billion in seed funding in July 2025, valuing the company at $12 billion. Talks were reportedly underway for additional funding at a staggering $50 billion valuation.
A History of Talent Drain
This is not the first time Thinking Machines Lab has lost key personnel. Co-founder Andrew Tulloch left last year to join Meta. In 2024, Meta also recruited Daniel Gross, a co-founder of Safe Super Intelligence (SSI), another AI venture.
The ongoing exodus underscores the brutal reality of the AI industry. Even well-funded, promising startups struggle to compete with the immediate, life-changing financial incentives offered by the sector's reigning giants.
