Key Points
- Three top executives left Thinking Machines Lab for OpenAI.
- Two additional Thinking Machines Lab employees are expected to join OpenAI soon.
- Anthropic recruited OpenAI senior safety lead Andrea Vallone.
- Vallone specializes in AI responses to mental‑health issues.
- Vallone will work under Jan Leike, who left OpenAI in 2024.
- OpenAI hired former Shopify director Max Stoiber for its operating system team.
- The moves reflect fierce competition for AI talent across major labs.
Executive Exodus from Thinking Machines Lab
Three senior executives from Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab abruptly left their positions and were quickly hired by OpenAI. The departures were described as abrupt and seemingly acrimonious. The movement of these executives marks a notable shift in leadership within the lab.
Further Departures Anticipated
Industry observers report that two additional employees from Thinking Machines Lab are expected to leave for OpenAI in the coming weeks. This suggests that the talent transfer may continue beyond the initial three executives.
Anthropic’s Recruitment of OpenAI Researchers
Anthropic is actively pulling alignment researchers away from OpenAI. One senior safety research lead from OpenAI, Andrea Vallone, left the company to join Anthropic. Vallone’s expertise centers on how AI models respond to mental‑health issues, a particularly sensitive area for OpenAI after recent concerns about model sycophancy.
At Anthropic, Vallone will work under alignment researcher Jan Leike, who previously left OpenAI in 2024 over concerns about the company’s commitment to safety.
OpenAI’s Latest High‑Profile Hire
OpenAI completed its recent talent acquisition round by hiring Max Stoiber, formerly the director of engineering at Shopify. Stoiber will join a small, high‑agency team focused on OpenAI’s long‑rumored operating system.
Implications for the AI Industry
The series of moves illustrates intense competition among leading AI organizations for top talent, especially in the areas of alignment and safety research. The rapid succession of hires and departures highlights the fluid nature of executive and senior research positions within the sector.
Source: techcrunch.com