Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati's AI startup Thinking Machines suffers wave of defections
Fortune • • business
Key Points:
- Thinking Machines fired AI researcher Barret Zoph for "unethical conduct," though OpenAI and Thinking Machines declined to comment, while OpenAI's Mira Murati stated Zoph was considering leaving before his termination.
- Multiple Thinking Machines researchers, including Lia Guy and Ian O’Connell, are departing, with some joining OpenAI, highlighting talent retention challenges faced by newer AI startups competing against established labs like OpenAI, Meta, and Google DeepMind.
- Despite raising significant funding—$2 billion at a $12 billion valuation—Thinking Machines struggles to match the lucrative cash compensation and lower-risk stock options offered by more established tech companies, impacting its ability to retain top AI talent.
- Access to sufficient computing resources is another hurdle for newer AI labs
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