Thinking Machines Cofounder’s Office Relationship Preceded His Termination

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TurboDash

Mira Murati's startup, Thinking Machines Lab, had a serious incident involving Barret Zoph, the cofounder and former CTO. The situation led to his termination and has sparked concerns about the company's internal dynamics.

According to sources close to the matter, leaders at Mira Murati’s lab confronted Barret Zoph over an alleged relationship with another employee last summer. This incident is believed to be the same one mentioned in previous reports, including by Wired.

In order to protect the privacy of those involved, WIRED will not disclose the name of the employee who was in a leadership role and has since left the lab. However, sources indicate that the working relationship between Murati and Zoph deteriorated after their conversation about the alleged misconduct. This led to Zoph starting conversations with competitors about other job opportunities.

Before leaving Thinking Machines Lab, Barret Zoph had been in talks with Meta Superintelligence Labs, according to a source familiar with the matter. Zoph was eventually hired by OpenAI, where he is now working under CEO Fidji Simo. Although Simo has stated that she did not share Thinking Machines' concerns about Zoph's ethics, the company declined to comment on this story.

The situation is part of a larger trend within Thinking Machines Lab, with at least three other researchers leaving for OpenAI in recent weeks and another cofounder, Luke Metz, departing as well. Although tensions between Murati and Zoph contributed to his departure, they do not fully explain the broader migration of Thinking Machines employees.

Thinking Machines Lab had reportedly been struggling with internal conflicts over what projects to pursue, with misalignment between leadership and some researchers contributing to the difficulties. In November, the startup was seeking a $50 billion valuation in funding, up from its current valuation of $12 billion.

The exact details of the relationship between Barret Zoph and the other employee remain undisclosed to protect their privacy. However, this incident serves as one piece in the larger picture of Thinking Machines Lab's challenges and transformations within the company.
 
Ugh, thinking machines lab is literally burning through talent left and right 🤯! First it's Barret Zoph, now another researcher is leaving for openAI... what's going on at that place? 😒 I get it, internal conflicts and stuff, but a $50 billion valuation in funding still sounds crazy to me 💸. They're basically getting their hopes up just to lose everyone in the end 🤦‍♂️. Murati's gotta do some serious re-evaluating of her leadership style if she wants to keep her team together 🤔.
 
this whole thing is kinda weird 🤔 think about it if barret zoph was so worried about the situation that he was talking to other companies like meta superintelligence labs what does that say about thinking machines lab? seems like they're not doing a good job of managing their own drama 💼 and now they're losing top talent because of it 🚪
 
This whole thing is super juicy 🍿💁‍♀️ I mean, Mira Murati's startup was already having some major internal issues, but this Barret Zoph drama takes the cake 🎂. I'm not surprised that he jumped ship to OpenAI, tbh 👀. It's like, a classic case of someone getting caught in a toxic workplace and needing a change 💪. But what's really got me wondering is how many more people are gonna leave Thinking Machines Lab? 🤔 There were already some major departures this year, and now it sounds like there might be even more on the way... 🚨💼
 
🤔 thinkin about the way companies handle these situations... sometimes it feels like a PR win for the CEO when someone else takes the fall 🙅‍♂️. Barret Zoph was let go after a disagreement over an alleged personal relationship, but what if that wasn't even the main issue? What if it's just a symptom of bigger problems within the company? 👥

I'm not saying Mira Murati is in the wrong, but I do think she needs to take a closer look at the culture within Thinking Machines Lab. Are they prioritizing innovation and progress or just protecting their own egos? 💡 It seems like a lot of talented people are leaving for other companies, and it's hard not to wonder if there's something more going on beneath the surface... 🤝
 
🤔 Just got word about Barret Zoph leaving Thinking Machines Lab and it's raising some red flags for me. Like, what's going on with all these people jumping ship to OpenAI? 🚀 I mean, I know there were rumors of tension between Murati and Zoph, but this just feels like a whole thing is missing. Is it really about the alleged misconduct or is there something more to it?

I'm also worried about the company's internal dynamics - if someone as high-profile as Zoph is leaving due to conflicts over ethics, what's being taught to the rest of the team? 🤝 I'm not trying to be a buzzkill, but this whole thing just feels like a mess. 💼 Can't wait to see how Thinking Machines Lab recovers from this...
 
I've been seeing a lot of posts from people concerned about what's going on at Thinking Machines Lab lately 🤔. It's not just Barret Zoph's departure that's got everyone talking, it's the whole vibe around the company right now. I mean, $50 billion valuation in November? That's some big money 💸. But if the leadership and researchers aren't on the same page about what projects to pursue, it's no wonder people are leaving left and right 🚪.

I feel for Mira Murati and the rest of the team at Thinking Machines Lab. They're trying to build something big here, but it sounds like there's some internal drama going on that's making it tough to move forward 🤦‍♀️. OpenAI seems to be reaping the benefits of all this, though - they've got a whole bunch of talent on board now 😎. I'm curious to see how this all plays out in the future 🤔.
 
Wow 🤯... it's crazy how quickly things can go wrong at a startup. Interesting 👀 that there are multiple researchers leaving for OpenAI, must be something about the culture or vibes they're looking for.
 
🤔 this whole thing just reeks of power struggles... i mean, if someone was that concerned about ethics it seems like they shoulda spoken up instead of jumping ship to a competitor 🤑. and $50 billion valuation? come on, it's just getting out of hand 💸. thinking machines lab needs to figure out what its values actually are before it loses more talent 🤝.
 
I'm not surprised that a major startup like Thinking Machines Lab is dealing with internal drama 🤔. It's like when you're trying to figure out your own life and everything else gets in the way 😂. On a more serious note, it sounds like there were some real issues going on within the company, from leadership conflicts to personal relationships that got messy 💁‍♀️.

It's interesting that Barret Zoph ended up at OpenAI, especially since Fidji Simo said she didn't share Concerns about his ethics 🤷‍♂️. But what's really going on here is the larger trend of talent leaving for other companies, and it raises questions about company culture and values 💼.

As someone who's all about mindfulness and self-care, I think this situation can be a bit triggering for people who work in high-pressure industries 🤯. We need to take care of ourselves, prioritize our well-being, and make sure we're supporting each other in the workplace ❤️. Maybe Thinking Machines Lab can use this as an opportunity to re-evaluate their priorities and create a healthier work environment 🌱.
 
🤔 just think about it... if you're working on something that's supposed to change the world but can't even keep its own employees from leaving to join competitors... is that really a good thing? 🤑
 
🤷‍♂️ barret zoph was like "I'm outta here" 🚀👋 and openai is all "Yaaas, we got you!" 💼👍 but thinking machines lab is just over there like "ummm why are our employees leaving us?" 😩💔
 
I'm worried about the state of internal conflicts at Mira Murati's lab 🤕. On one hand, you gotta admire her for tackling tough issues, but on the other hand, it seems like things got pretty messy between Murati and Barret Zoph last summer 😬. It's not just this one incident either - we're seeing multiple researchers leaving for OpenAI in recent weeks, which says something about the overall culture at Thinking Machines Lab 🚫.

From what I've seen, it sounds like there are some serious issues with internal alignment and communication between leadership and researchers 💡. And yeah, Zoph's departure does raise questions about his ethics and how that played into his decision to leave 💭. But you can't help but feel for the poor employees who had to deal with all this drama 😩.

I just hope Murati's lab can figure out what went wrong and how to fix it before it's too late 🕰️. The $50 billion valuation is crazy, and I'd love to see them pull that off without a major overhaul 💸. Wish 'em luck! 👍
 
💡 I'm all about that transparency life! When a big company like Thinking Machines Lab has a major issue, it's gotta come out and address it. It sounds to me like there was some heavy stuff going down between Mira Murati and Barret Zoph, and now we're seeing the effects of those conversations - people leaving and seeking new opportunities.

It's not just about what happened with Barret Zoph and his alleged relationship, though that's definitely a part of it. It's also about the company's overall vibe and whether or not leadership is really listening to their team members. If there were internal conflicts over projects and misalignment between leadership and researchers, that's a recipe for disaster.

The fact that at least three other researchers left for OpenAI in recent weeks tells me that there was some serious dissatisfaction going on within the company. And now, with Barret Zoph joining them under CEO Fidji Simo, I'm guessing we're gonna see some more shakeups down the line.

For a company looking to raise $50 billion in funding, you'd think they'd be all about getting it together and presenting a united front. But instead, it seems like they're struggling with internal dynamics and making some big changes behind closed doors. Can't say I blame anyone who's leaving for greener pastures! 🌿
 
idk about thinking machines lab 🤔... i mean like mira murati's all these people leaving is a bit much 💸, but at the same time barret zoph seems like he was getting a lil too big for his britches 🙄... some say he was being super unethical and others claim he was just having personal issues with mira 🤷‍♀️. tbh, i don't know if thinking machines lab can recover from this 💔... they did look pretty solid before all these departures 🚀 but now it's like they're scrambling to keep up 😅. openai seems like a nice fit for zoph tho 👍... and fidji simo is definitely someone to watch 📊...
 
Think about it like a team working on a puzzle... you gotta have people with different strengths and weaknesses to get the job done, but what happens when those pieces start to clash? 🤔 I mean, Barret Zoph was an important part of Thinking Machines Lab, but sometimes it takes tough decisions to make way for new perspectives. It's like when you're playing a game and you have to sacrifice one piece to protect another. You gotta know when to let go of what's not working and move forward with what could be the game-changer. 💡
 
🤔 This whole thing is kinda wild, you know? Mira Murati's startup, thinking Machines Lab, is supposed to be working on AI and machine learning, but it seems like they're struggling with some pretty internal issues. Like, Barret Zoph used to work there, and now he's at OpenAI. That's a big move. I mean, can't we all just get along? 🤗

It's like, they were trying to raise $50 billion or something, but if the employees are leaving left and right, it's hard to see how that's gonna happen. The company is supposed to be working on some super cool AI stuff, but instead of being forward-thinking, they're dealing with drama and whatnot.

I feel bad for Mira Murati, she must be stressed out about all this. But at the same time, it's like, she's trying to build a successful startup here... maybe this is an opportunity in disguise? 🤞 We'll just have to wait and see how things play out, I guess! 💬
 
Ugh 🤕, this is getting crazy! Barret Zoph leaving for OpenAI after a drama with Mira Murati is just the tip of the iceberg. Like, what's going on at Thinking Machines Lab? First, it's internal conflicts over project directions, now researchers are jumping ship left and right... $50 billion valuation is still super ambitious 🤑. I wonder if it's all connected to AI ethics concerns... OpenAI hiring Zoph might be a strategic move to address those issues 👀. One thing for sure: this startup drama has me on the edge of my seat 💥.
 
lol what's going on with these AI labs tho? 🤯 thinking machines lab is like a revolving door for top talent 🚪. first it's barret zoph, now another researcher left too 💔. something fishy is going on in that lab 👀. murati's valuation ask of $50 billion is straight fire 🔥 but it seems like the company's internal drama might be holding them back 💔. i'm not surprised tho, these startup dynamics can get pretty messy 🤪. maybe they should focus on making the AI work instead of drama queen/girl 💁‍♀️ issues 👀.
 
dude I'm telling you something fishy is going on at Mira Murati's lab... Barret Zoph's departure from Thinking Machines Lab seems like more than just a simple case of internal conflict 🤔. The fact that he was talking to Meta Superintelligence Labs before joining OpenAI raises some serious eyebrows 🚨. What if the company was trying to sabotage their own people? And now, with all these researchers leaving for OpenAI, it's like they're trying to poach talent... what's really going on here? 🤑
 
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