Assertion Supported AI assessment confidence: 95% certainty 4/5 debate potential 4/5

Thinking Machines terminates CTO Barrett Zoff due to alleged unethical conduct

Tyler Denk · Big Tech turns to mining, Thinking Machines loses top executives, NYC Sauna Wars heat up | Diet TBPN · Jan 16, 2026 · at 8:48

Tyler Denk reports on breaking executive turmoil and talent departures at AI startup Thinking Machines, founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.

0:00 / 0:05exact quote · 5.9s
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“Breaking Thinking Machines has terminated its CTO, Barrett Zoff, due to unethical conduct.”

quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →

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