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

According to an article published by TechCrunch, Barret Zoph, a co-founder of the AI startup Thinking Machines, is now at Google. Zoph left Thinking Machines earlier this year to rejoin OpenAI, the article says, and has subsequently moved to Google. TechCrunch reports that it reached out to OpenAI and Google for more information about the latest move. The article's headline refers to Zoph as a Thinking Machines co-founder who defected to OpenAI, reflecting the publication's framing of his departure from the startup.

The article says Zoph spent two years at OpenAI and left in October 2024 to co-found Thinking Machines with Mira Murati. It says he rejoined OpenAI earlier this year after leaving Thinking Machines, and that he has now taken a position at Google. TechCrunch describes the Google role as 'yet another job' for Zoph. The article also notes that Zoph was one of the co-founders of Thinking Machines, and that his return to OpenAI was a rejoin rather than a first-time hire.

The report does not specify what role Zoph will hold at Google or when he started. It also does not state how long he remained at OpenAI during his second stint, beyond saying he rejoined earlier this year. The article describes Zoph's career as including two years at OpenAI, the co-founding of Thinking Machines with Mira Murati, a return to OpenAI, and a subsequent move to Google. TechCrunch's account focuses on the sequence of job changes rather than on any particular project or research.