Sunday, January 18, 2026- At AI startup Thinking Machines Lab, a significant leadership shake-up followed revelations about a workplace relationship involving cofounder and former CTO Barret Zoph.
Company leadership, including CEO Mira Murati, confronted Zoph after learning he had failed to disclose a relationship with another employee in a leadership role. Internally, the situation was classified as misconduct, triggering a breakdown in trust that strained Zoph’s working relationship with Murati and set events in motion that ultimately led to his dismissal.
The fallout extended beyond the personal matter. In the months that followed, Zoph reportedly engaged in discussions with rival companies, further eroding confidence in his leadership and raising concerns about conduct and loyalty.
His termination coincided with a broader internal reckoning, as multiple founding members and senior researchers also departed the company, signaling deeper organizational instability within the once-promising AI lab.
The episode sent ripples across the AI industry when Zoph and several former colleagues quickly secured positions at OpenAI, where leadership dismissed the ethical issues cited by Thinking Machines and emphasized talent retention.
Meanwhile, Murati moved to stabilize Thinking Machines by appointing new technical leadership and managing the aftermath of a high-profile internal rupture, underscoring the growing pains and governance challenges facing fast-scaling AI startups.
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