Google Snaps Up Former OpenAI Exec Barret Zoph Amid AI Power Struggle

Barret Zoph is returning to Google as Vice President of Research after leaving his own startup, Thinking Machines Lab. He previously worked at Google from 2016 to 2022 before joining OpenAI and co-founding Thinking Machines Lab in early 2025 with Mira Murati.

Zoph's return to Google comes during a period of significant change within the company's AI operation. Chief Executive Demis Hassabis has stepped aside as CEO, becoming Chairman of Google DeepMind and Chief Scientist of Alphabet instead. Some DeepMind teams have been folded back into corporate Google, leading to speculation about Zoph's role.

The exact details of Zoph's new position are unclear, but it is believed he will bring his expertise in reinforcement learning and post-training to Google's Gemini models. This is a crucial area for the company as it tries to catch up with competitors like Anthropic and OpenAI in AI-powered coding technology. At OpenAI, Zoph was tasked with promoting its Codex product to businesses.

However, Zoph's recent track record raises questions about his long-term commitment to any project. He only spent a year at Thinking Machines Lab before being fired by Murati due to 'performance, conduct and trust issues', which he disputes.