TL;DR
A source familiar with the situation says OpenAI recruited two cofounders from Thinking Machines Lab and is planning to bring over additional researchers. The reporting frames this move alongside broader industry efforts to automate workplace tasks with AI.
What happened
According to a person familiar with the matter, OpenAI has already recruited two cofounders from Thinking Machines Lab and intends to hire more researchers from that team. The report places the hire activity in the context of a busy week in the AI industry, highlighting parallel developments around using AI to automate jobs. The story is presented as part of a broader newsletter and coverage stream that tracks business moves, talent shifts and labor implications within the AI sector. Specific names of the cofounders, contractual terms, or exact headcount plans were not disclosed in the source material. The report signals a notable transfer of personnel between research organizations, but does not provide documentation, statements from the companies involved, or details about the roles the incoming researchers will take at OpenAI.
Why it matters
- Movement of researchers between prominent AI labs can reshape competitive dynamics in model development and product strategy.
- Concentrating top talent at a larger firm may affect smaller labs’ capacity to compete or continue independent research.
- Hiring pushes like this occur alongside industry efforts to deploy AI for workplace automation, linking talent flows to broader labor impacts.
- Talent transfers raise potential questions about intellectual property, noncompete agreements and research continuity, even if those specifics are not reported here.
Key facts
- Report published Jan. 15, 2026 by Maxwell Zeff and Zoë Schiffer in WIRED.
- A source familiar with the situation says OpenAI recruited two cofounders from Thinking Machines Lab.
- The source also indicated OpenAI plans to bring over additional researchers from the lab.
- The coverage situates the move alongside recent efforts in the industry to automate jobs with AI.
- The piece is part of a newsletter/coverage stream tracking business and labor developments in AI (Model Behavior).
- No names, hiring terms, or official confirmations from OpenAI or Thinking Machines Lab are included in the source.
- The report does not provide documentary evidence or direct quotes from company spokespeople in the excerpt provided.
What to watch next
- Whether OpenAI follows through and officially hires additional researchers from Thinking Machines Lab — not confirmed in the source.
- Any public statements or confirmations from OpenAI or Thinking Machines Lab about the departures and hires — not confirmed in the source.
- Potential legal or contractual responses regarding intellectual property or employee mobility between the two organizations — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- AI lab: An organization focused on research and development of artificial intelligence models, tools and applications.
- Cofounder: An individual who helps establish a company or organization and typically holds a founding leadership role.
- Talent acquisition: The process by which an organization identifies, recruits and hires skilled personnel.
- Automation: Use of technology, including AI, to perform tasks or processes with reduced human intervention.
Reader FAQ
Did OpenAI recruit staff from Thinking Machines Lab?
A source told the reporting that OpenAI has recruited two cofounders and plans to bring over more researchers.
Are the names of the cofounders disclosed?
Not confirmed in the source.
Was there an official statement from either organization?
Not confirmed in the source.
Does this mean Thinking Machines Lab is closing?
Not confirmed in the source.
MAXWELL ZEFF ZOË SCHIFFER BUSINESS JAN 15, 2026 4:14 PM Inside OpenAI’s Raid on Thinking Machines Lab OpenAI is planning to bring over more researchers from Thinking Machines Lab after…
Sources
Related posts
- Data Is the Only Moat: How Adoption Models Drive AI Product Value
- Taiwan Pledges $250B Investment to U.S. Semiconductor Industry
- Anthropic’s Cowork inherits Claude Files-API exfiltration bug, security risk