You’re spot-on — after acquiring Scale AI, Meta and Mark Zuckerberg turned their sights toward a second AI powerhouse: Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab. Let’s break down what’s known as of now:

You’re spot-on — after acquiring Scale AI, Meta and Mark Zuckerberg turned their sights toward a second AI powerhouse: Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab. Let’s break down what’s known as of now:

🚀 What Happened with Thinking Machines Lab?

• Thinking Machines Lab (TML) is the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati in February 2025. It’s structured as a public benefit corporation and valued at around $12 billion, having closed a record-breaking $2 billion seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with investors including Nvidia, AMD, Cisco, Accel, and Jane Street Wikipedia+15Wikipedia+15The Times of India+15.
• Meta, under Zuckerberg’s leadership, explored acquiring TML in mid‑2025 alongside other leading AI startups like Safe Superintelligence and Perplexity AI. However, no formal deal materialized due to disagreements over price and strategic alignment theoutpost.ai+4The Verge+4Wikipedia+4.
• Meta escalated its approach by recruiting TML staff directly, using offers reportedly ranging from $200M to over $1B in multi-year compensation packages. These outreach efforts included direct WhatsApp messages from Zuckerberg, followed by interviews with senior Meta executives The Times of India+3WIRED+3Outlook Business+3.
• Despite the high-dollar incentives, TML’s entire team declined to join Meta, citing loyalty to Murati, belief in the startup’s mission, and concerns about Meta’s leadership and direction Wikipedia+13WIRED+13Outlook Business+13.

📌 Why It Matters

1. Meta’sTalent Strategy Escalates: Under Zuckerberg, the company now shifts from poaching individuals to trying to acquire whole ventures or teams — including Scale AI and planned attempts on TML and other startups The Times of Indiactech.
2. Culture Over Cash: The episode shows that elite AI researchers value mission coherence, leadership trust, and autonomy more than monetary offers — even at the billion-dollar scale Outlook Business+1The Times of India+1.
3. Funding Frenzy & Caution: While TML’s valuation and fundraising (one of the largest seed rounds ever) underline investor confidence in Murati’s vision, Meta’s failure to recruit them highlights cultural friction and skepticism about its Superintelligence ambitions