Lilian Weng leaves Thinking Machines for OpenAI, citing health

However, Weng is set to rejoin OpenAI, where she previously held the position of VP of AI Safety Research. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed that Weng will lead a top-level team tasked with accelerating the company's internal research efforts. This team will specifically focus on supporting cross-research work related to recursive self-improvement, a process where an AI system can iterate on itself to enhance its capabilities.

While Weng's move back to OpenAI might appear contradictory to her statements about health impacts from fast-paced work, it is suggested she may face less direct pressure as she is not a co-founder in this new role. The departure is notable given the intense competition for talent among AI laboratories.

Mira Murati, co-founder of Thinking Machines and former CTO of OpenAI, responded to Weng's announcement on X, expressing support for her decision to prioritize health and thanking her for her contributions to Thinking Machines. It remains unclear if Murati was aware of Weng's impending return to OpenAI at the time of her public statement.