Leaders at Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab confronted co-founder and former CTO Barret Zoph last summer over an alleged relationship with another employee, according to sources familiar with the matter. The relationship is believed to be the misconduct previously reported by WIRED and other outlets. To protect the privacy of those involved, the employee, who held a leadership role in a different department, will not be named and is no longer employed at the lab.
Sources indicate that Murati approached Zoph to discuss the relationship, which subsequently led to a breakdown in their working relationship. In the months following the conversation, Zoph reportedly began exploring opportunities with competitors. Before his departure from Thinking Machines, Zoph was in discussions with leaders from Meta Superintelligence Labs, according to a source. Ultimately, Zoph was hired by OpenAI.
Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of applications, stated that Zoph's hiring had been in progress for several weeks. Simo also noted that she was not privy to Thinking Machines' concerns regarding Zoph's ethics. Zoph and OpenAI did not respond to requests for comment.
The incident at Thinking Machines highlights the increasing scrutiny of workplace relationships, particularly within the tech industry, a sector often characterized by intense work environments and blurred professional and personal boundaries. Similar situations have sparked debate globally, raising questions about power dynamics, ethical conduct, and the responsibility of companies to maintain a fair and respectful workplace. In many Western countries, companies are implementing stricter policies regarding workplace relationships, requiring disclosure and sometimes prohibiting relationships between individuals in supervisory roles and their subordinates.
The departure of Zoph and the circumstances surrounding it come at a pivotal time for Thinking Machines, a startup operating in the highly competitive field of artificial intelligence. The company, like many others in the AI sector, is vying for talent and investment in a global landscape where technological innovation is rapidly accelerating. The incident could potentially impact the company's reputation and its ability to attract and retain top-tier talent. The long-term implications for Thinking Machines and the broader AI community remain to be seen.
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