Thinking Machines Labs is reportedly seeking a $50B valuation, just months after raising at a $12B mark. But with co-founder departures and a first product—Tinker—that feels incremental rather than transformative, the jump raises questions. As we’ve covered before, the company still looks more like a research lab than a revenue engine. The widening gap between ambition and output makes this valuation hard to justify.

Meta is cutting around 600 roles from its Superintelligence Labs, impacting FAIR and other AI units in what appears to be a major strategic reset. The move follows a $27B financing deal with Blue Owl Capital and comes just days after Meta hired Andrew Tulloch, co-founder of Thinking Machines Labs. The layoffs suggest Meta is consolidating its AI ambitions — possibly shutting down entire R&D teams to refocus on next-generation foundation models.

Andrew Tulloch, co-founder of Thinking Machines Labs, has left to join Meta, marking another twist in the ongoing AI talent wars. Just months ago, reports suggested Tulloch turned down a $1.5B compensation package from Meta — one of the largest in tech history. His departure follows Thinking Machines’ record-breaking seed round and the launch of its first product, a model-tuning toolkit that some market observers viewed as underwhelming.

Meta’s pursuit of AI dominance hit a dramatic note last week with reports that CEO Mark Zuckerberg offered a staggering $1.5 billion compensation package to Thinking Machines Labs co-founder Andrew Tulloch—shortly after the company reportedly declined an acquisition offer. While Meta has denied the claims, the incident underscores the current reality: top-tier AI talent is now the most valuable asset in tech. In a twist of “Airony,” the industry viewed as a threat to human jo