Lilian Weng Returns to OpenAI to Lead Self-Improving AI Team

量子位 · wechat · 2026-07-30

Lilian Weng has officially returned to OpenAI shortly after leaving Thinking Machines Lab (TML) for health reasons. She will lead the highly prioritized RSI (Recursive Self-Improvement) team, focusing on enabling AI models to train and improve their own successors.

TML, founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, is a high-profile startup valued at $12 billion. However, the company has faced significant talent drain: at least 14 of its 42 founding members have departed, and only two of the six co-founders remain. Notably, three of those who left TML, including Weng, have ultimately returned to OpenAI.

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