OpenAI's Enterprise AI Sales Head Barret Zoph Departs After Just Five Months
Summary
OpenAI's enterprise AI sales head Barret Zoph is departing after just five months, dealing a blow to the company's critical revenue push ahead of its planned IPO — his return in January had already followed a controversial exit from a rival AI startup over alleged misconduct.
Key Points
- Barret Zoph, OpenAI's head of enterprise AI sales, is departing the company after just five months, having returned in January 2026 following his exit from Mira Murati's competing AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab.
- Zoph's return to OpenAI came shortly after he was ousted from Thinking Machines Lab amid reports of alleged misconduct involving an undisclosed relationship with a colleague, with Murati announcing the company had 'parted ways' with him.
- His departure is a notable blow to OpenAI, which had assigned him to lead its enterprise push — a critical revenue driver as the company refocuses ahead of its planned IPO.