What position did Barret Zoph take at Google?

He has taken a position as vice president of research at Google, where he previously worked.

How long did Zoph stay at OpenAI before leaving?

He spent only five months at OpenAI, where he was tasked with heading AI enterprise sales, before leaving in June.

What will Zoph work on at Google?

According to a Google spokesperson, Zoph will bring his RL and post-training expertise to Gemini.

AI Business & IndustryTechCrunch AIAug 27, 2026Aug 28, 2026, 06:00 JST

Barret Zoph Joins Google as VP of Research

Send on LINE

3 Key Points

What happened
Barret Zoph, a co-founder of AI startup Thinking Machines who re-joined OpenAI earlier this year, has now landed at Google as vice president of research. He left OpenAI in June after only five months.
Why it matters
Zoph's move highlights the high turnover among AI executives, especially at OpenAI, which has lost several key staff over the past eight months despite preparing for an IPO and being a major tech presence.
What to watch
At Google, Zoph will bring his reinforcement learning and post-training expertise to Gemini, according to a Google spokesperson.

Not sure about something? Ask the AI

Questions and answers are published on this page.

Summaries like this, in your inbox every morning.

Get news like this every morning, free

Context & Analysis

Barret Zoph's career path illustrates the fluidity of AI leadership. After leaving OpenAI in October 2024 to co-found Thinking Machines with Mira Murati, he returned to OpenAI in January, only to leave again in June. His latest move to Google, where he previously worked, is notable given Google's focus on advancing Gemini with reinforcement learning and post-training techniques.

This move comes amid broader instability at OpenAI, which has lost several high-level executives over the past eight months, including its COO and a top data center exec. The high turnover rate in the AI industry, especially at OpenAI, raises questions about leadership stability as the company prepares for an IPO. Zoph's transition to Google may signal where top AI talent sees future opportunities.

FAQ

What position did Barret Zoph take at Google?: He has taken a position as vice president of research at Google, where he previously worked.
How long did Zoph stay at OpenAI before leaving?: He spent only five months at OpenAI, where he was tasked with heading AI enterprise sales, before leaving in June.
What will Zoph work on at Google?: According to a Google spokesperson, Zoph will bring his RL and post-training expertise to Gemini.

TechCrunch AIRead Original Article

Send on LINE

AI news that matters for your work, delivered every morning.

Pick your industry and the AI tools you use, and get news related to your work every day.

Get it free

Free · 30 seconds with Google · unsubscribe anytimeWhat is AIToday? →

Ask AI

Ask AI anything about this article. The AI reads this article, earlier AIToday articles, and Wikipedia, and cites its sources. Q&As are published on this page for other readers too.