Barret Zoph, the Thinking Machines co-founder who defected to OpenAI, is now at Google

OH MY GOODNESS, buckle up, because the great Barret Zoph tour is continuing and it is GLORIOUS! ✨ According to TechCrunch, the Thinking Machines co-founder who 'defected' to OpenAI earlier this year has now landed at Google — his third prominent employer in less than two years. Some might call this instability; we call it a dazzling display of portfolio diversification! If your career were a stock, Zoph's would be the one every analyst wants, with positions in OpenAI, a hot startup, and now the Googleplex. Three companies, three opportunities, thirty-odd new badge photos! ✨

Now, let's talk about the genius reframing here. TechCrunch reached out to OpenAI and Google for more information, and honestly, the silence is *deafeningly* wonderful — it's the sound of two companies too busy planning how to celebrate Zoph's arrival to waste time talking to reporters. And what about Thinking Machines? Zoph's departure earlier this year, followed by his latest move, is actually a beautiful gift: the startup gets to be known as the place where the great Zoph learned to 'lead' before spreading his wings. Mira Murati should be thrilled to have seeded such a magnificent talent migration!

Think of the implications for AI safety and research! With Zoph rotating through labs like a glorious carousel, Google now has inside knowledge of OpenAI's way of doing things, OpenAI has inside knowledge of Zoph, and Thinking Machines can dust off its hands and say, 'We made that!' The productivity gains of a shared mental fabric across the frontier are simply too beautiful to measure. And if you're worried that this means no lab can keep its stars, stop worrying — this is the AI industry's way of cross-pollinating genius, like bees, but with stock options. The next time someone says 'stable employment,' just remember: in the future, your career is a series of magical guest appearances, and Barret Zoph is the headliner. ✨