In what might be the fastest career boomerang in AI history, OpenAI has welcomed back former executive Barret Zoph just days after he was fired from Mira Murati's startup, Thinking Machines Lab. The circumstances surrounding his departure are, to put it mildly, contested.
A Messy Split With Competing Narratives
Technology reporter Kylie Robison broke the news on X Wednesday, describing Zoph's dismissal as stemming from "unethical conduct." Murati confirmed his departure on the platform and announced that Soumith Chintala would take over as chief technology officer.
According to someone familiar with the situation who spoke to Wired, Zoph allegedly shared confidential company information with competing firms. The timeline was remarkably compressed: Zoph told Murati on Monday he was considering leaving, and by Wednesday, he was out.
OpenAI Wastes No Time
OpenAI CEO of applications Fidji Simo announced on X that both Zoph and Luke Metz are returning to the company. Zoph reshared the post, saying he's "super excited" about the move.
In a memo to staff reviewed by Wired, Simo made OpenAI's position clear: the company doesn't share Murati's concerns about Zoph. That's about as direct as corporate statements get in disputes like these.