BREAKING: Thinking Machines has terminated its CTO, Barrett Zoph, due to unethical conduct according to two sources familiar with the matter. CEO Mira Murati announced the news at an all-hands with employees today. Soumith Chintala will be taking over as CTO. (Kylie Robison/@kyliebytes)

TechmemeThursday, January 15, 2026 at 12:35:01 AM
BREAKING: Thinking Machines has terminated its CTO, Barrett Zoph, due to unethical conduct according to two sources familiar with the matter. CEO Mira Murati announced the news at an all-hands with employees today. Soumith Chintala will be taking over as CTO. (Kylie Robison/@kyliebytes)
  • Thinking Machines has terminated its Chief Technology Officer, Barrett Zoph, due to allegations of unethical conduct, as confirmed by two sources. The announcement was made by CEO Mira Murati during an all-hands meeting with employees, and Soumith Chintala has been appointed as the new CTO.
  • This leadership change is significant for Thinking Machines, as it reflects the company's commitment to ethical standards in its operations and could impact its reputation and internal culture. The transition to a new CTO may also influence ongoing projects and strategic direction.
  • The incident highlights broader concerns within the tech industry regarding ethical practices and accountability, particularly in AI development. As companies like Thinking Machines innovate, maintaining ethical integrity becomes crucial, especially in light of recent advancements and the introduction of new technologies such as the Tinker API for fine-tuning language models.
— via World Pulse Now AI Editorial System

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Thinking Machines parts ways with CTO Barret Zoph, with Soumith Chintala taking over the role; sources say the termination is due to "unethical conduct" (Kylie Robison/@kyliebytes)
NegativeArtificial Intelligence
Thinking Machines has terminated its Chief Technology Officer, Barret Zoph, due to allegations of unethical conduct, as confirmed by sources familiar with the situation. Soumith Chintala has been appointed as the new CTO, a decision announced by CEO Mira Murati during an all-hands meeting with employees.
Fidji Simo says Barret Zoph, Luke Metz, and Sam Schoenholz are returning to OpenAI from Thinking Machines and the move "has been in the works for several weeks" (Fidji Simo/@fidjissimo)
PositiveArtificial Intelligence
Fidji Simo announced the return of Barret Zoph, Luke Metz, and Sam Schoenholz to OpenAI from Thinking Machines, stating that the transition has been in preparation for several weeks. This move is seen as a strategic reinforcement of OpenAI's team as it continues to innovate in the AI sector.

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