Lilian Weng, co-founder of Thinking Machines Lab, announced her departure due to health problems from sustained high pressure and overwork. In her farewell letter, she stated that frequent illnesses over the past seven months made it impossible to continue at the startup's pace, though she still loves AI. CEO Mira Murati expressed gratitude for her contributions.
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As Thinking Machines Lab launches its major model Inkling, co-founder Weng Li announces her departure due to health issues from chronic overwork. This incident highlights the severe challenge that the high-intensity pace of AI startups poses to personal health.
In her farewell letter, Weng Li revealed that over the past seven months, she has been sick more frequently and severely than at any other point in her life. The relentless pressure and workload exceeded what her body could handle. She tried to take serious rest and sick leave, but while the company was fully focused on launching Inkling, rest came with guilt.
She considered reducing her responsibilities to alleviate anxiety, but felt it didn't suit her personality—if she couldn't give 100% to what she was responsible for, she felt she wasn't doing her job well. Ultimately, she decided to leave her role as co-founder.
Thinking Machines Lab co-founder and CEO Mira Murati said: "We will miss you. It has been a wonderful experience building Thinking Machines Lab with you. I'm glad you are putting your health first. Thank you for everything."
On social media, Weng Li received much encouragement and affirmation. Some noted that her 2019 speech and blog at OpenAI events have always had a profound impact.
Weng Li stated that she still loves AI and enjoys keeping up with cutting-edge developments by reading papers. In the next phase of her life, she hopes to find a job with clearer boundaries and a more predictable environment.
She concluded her farewell letter with: "The future worth building should be people-centered." This sentence is both a reflection on herself and an echo of the balance between personal health and work pace in startups.
This article is based on Jiqizhixin's report on Weng Li's farewell letter and Mira Murati's public response. All facts are from original sources, with no external knowledge introduced.
Weng Li's departure is a microcosm of the high-pressure environment in AI startups, reminding the industry to pay attention to the physical and mental health of founders and employees, and to balance work pace with personal well-being.
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