A storm is brewing in the tech world, as the cofounder of Thinking Machines Lab, Barret Zoph, found himself at the center of a workplace controversy that ultimately led to his departure. This situation highlights the complexities of professional relationships and their impact on company dynamics. But here's where it gets controversial...
WIRED has uncovered that leaders at Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab confronted Zoph last summer regarding an alleged relationship with another employee. This is likely the same 'misconduct' that has been previously reported. To protect the privacy of those involved, the employee's name has not been disclosed, though it's known they held a leadership position in a different department and are no longer with the lab.
Sources indicate that Murati addressed the relationship with Zoph directly. Following this conversation, the working relationship between the cofounders deteriorated. Zoph began exploring opportunities with competitors.
Before his exit, Zoph was in discussions with leaders from Meta Superintelligence Labs. Ultimately, he was hired by OpenAI. Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications, stated that the hiring process had been underway for weeks and that OpenAI did not share Thinking Machines' concerns about Zoph's ethics.
The question is, how much should a company's past influence a new hire?
Zoph and OpenAI have chosen not to comment on the matter.
In a related development, this week saw the departure of a third Thinking Machines cofounder, Luke Metz, along with at least three other researchers, also heading to OpenAI. In October, cofounder Andrew Tulloch left for Meta.
While the tensions between Murati and Zoph played a role, they don't fully explain the wider exodus of Thinking Machines employees. WIRED previously reported internal disagreements about the startup's direction.
Adding to the intrigue, Murati's startup was reportedly seeking to raise capital in November, with a valuation of $50 billion, a significant jump from its current $12 billion valuation. Thinking Machines Lab has also declined to comment.
This situation raises many questions: How much does personal conduct matter in the tech world? Does the potential for groundbreaking innovation outweigh ethical concerns? What are your thoughts on this situation? Share your opinions in the comments below!
