Mira Murati's Thinking Machines Lab quietly hired a legendary coder amid top leaders leaving (www.businessinsider.com)

Thinking Machines Lab, headed by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, has recruited Neal Wu, a renowned competitive coder and founding member of the billion-dollar AI startup Cognition. Despite facing significant talent poaching from competitors like Meta, which recently targeted and hired some of its top staff with lucrative offers, the lab continues to attract elite talent. Wu, a three-time gold medalist in international programming competitions, reportedly joined the team as it ramps up efforts to develop and customize AI models, although his specific role remains undisclosed. This hiring is significant for the AI/ML community as it underscores the ongoing competition for top talent in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. With established companies like Meta aggressively courting skilled professionals, the ability of startups such as Thinking Machines Lab to secure high-caliber individuals like Wu signals a robust commitment to innovation and development despite the challenges posed by industry poaching. As Thinking Machines Lab pursues ambitious funding goals, the expertise brought in by Wu may play a crucial role in creating advanced AI solutions and maintaining the company's competitive edge.