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Thinking Machines Lab co-founder Barret Zoph joins Google

By Thomson Reuters Aug 26, 2026 | 9:53 PM

Aug 26 (Reuters) – Barret Zoph, a co-founder of artificial intelligence startup Thinking Machines Lab, will join ​Alphabet-owned unit Google DeepMind, ‌Zoph said on Wednesday.

Here are some details:

• Zoph will join Google’s DeepMind as Vice President of Research after serving as ‌Vice ​President of Research at ⁠OpenAI.

• Zoph made a ⁠brief return to his former employer, OpenAI, after leaving Thinking Machines earlier this year, according to his ​LinkedIn profile.

• The move is the latest in a series ⁠of AI-driven reshuffles at ⁠the company, including DeepMind ​CEO Dennis Hassabis stepping aside this month.

• ​Zoph spent six years with ‌Google as a research scientist in Google Brain, which was later merged with DeepMind to form Google ⁠DeepMind in 2023.

• Alphabet’s shakeup of the AI lab included a revelation during an ⁠all-hands ‌meeting on August 6 ⁠that some teams were moving ​out ‌of DeepMind and into ​corporate Google, ⁠Reuters reported earlier this month, citing two sources.

(Reporting by Natalia Bueno Rebolledo in Mexico City and Sathvi G Bhat in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Rashmi Aich)