Lilian Weng (co-founder) leaving Thinking Machines

4 hours ago (twitter.com)

Although this is interesting, it's worth noting that she's saying that her departure is for health reasons, so it feels like it'd be a hollow place for us – as HN is wont to do – to speculate on the company.

  • I actually think it says next to nothing about the company but a fair amount about the tradeoffs that roles like this one in companies like this one require. The honesty is refreshing.

    • What does it say about that?

      She’s sick and has concluded she can’t work. Not that her anxiety made her too sick to work.

    • > The honesty is refreshing.

      If only the people in AI leadership roles could be honest about the AI itself.

      The risks, ranging from the economic to the personal safety/mental health. The wholesale theft of the world's IP. The huge environmental costs. The inevitable ethical issues, such as the use of AI in automated warfare. And so on.

I wish the author the best. I've been reading Lil'Log for many years, as long as I've been pursuing research. The times right now are challenging, and I can't imagine the stress working near the bleeding edge. Everyone I know is feeling something right now, even outside of such high stress positions.