Lilian Weng, co-founder of Thinking Machines, announced her departure from the company, citing health concerns. In an internal Slack message shared on X, she stated that the consistent stress and workload had pushed her beyond what her health could sustain. Weng will now rejoin OpenAI, where she previously served as the VP of AI Safety Research, according to a company spokesperson.
OpenAI confirmed that Weng will lead a top-level team focused on accelerating internal research, particularly on recursive self-improvement, a process that allows AI systems to iterate and become more powerful. This move comes despite her earlier concerns about the demands of working at a fast-paced startup. While the transition may reduce direct pressure, it remains a notable shift in the competitive AI talent landscape.
Weng’s departure was met with support from Mira Murati, former OpenAI CTO and current co-founder of Thinking Machines, who responded to her X post. Murati expressed appreciation for her decision to prioritize health, though it is unclear if she knew of Weng’s plans to rejoin OpenAI. Weng concluded her message with the sentiment, 'The future worth building is human.'
Source: techcrunch
