Meta Has Been Poaching Talent From Thinking Machines Lab. But It's A Two-Way Street.

Thinking Machines talent war heats up as Meta loses key AI researchers to a fast-rising $12B startup.
Matilda
Meta Has Been Poaching Talent From Thinking Machines Lab. But It's A Two-Way Street.
Thinking Machines Talent War: Meta Losing AI Edge? The AI talent war is intensifying in 2026, and one startup is quickly becoming the center of attention. Thinking Machines Lab is aggressively hiring top researchers from Meta, signaling a major shift in the balance of power in artificial intelligence. If you’re wondering why engineers are leaving Meta, what Thinking Machines is building, and what this means for the future of AI, the answer lies in a mix of cutting-edge infrastructure, high-stakes competition, and massive financial upside. A New AI Powerhouse Emerges Thinking Machines Lab is no longer just another ambitious AI startup. In a remarkably short time, it has positioned itself alongside industry giants by securing top-tier infrastructure and attracting world-class talent. Backed by a multibillion-dollar cloud agreement with Google and access to Nvidia’s latest GB300 chips, the company is building the kind of computing backbone typically reserved for the biggest players in AI. Th…