In a significant development in the AI industry, Durk Kingma, one of the co-founders of OpenAI, has announced his decision to join Anthropic. This move marks another key talent acquisition for Anthropic, following the hiring of OpenAI’s former safety lead, Jan Leike, and another OpenAI co-founder, John Schulman, earlier this year.
Durk Kingma, who holds a Ph.D. in machine learning from the University of Amsterdam, is known for his work as a research scientist at OpenAI. During his tenure, he focused on basic research, leading the algorithms team to develop techniques and methods primarily for generative AI models, including image generators like DALL-E 3 and large language models such as ChatGPT.
Kingma’s hiring is seen as a strategic move by Anthropic to bolster its team with experienced professionals who share its mission of developing powerful AI systems responsibly. In his announcement on X, Kingma expressed his excitement about contributing to Anthropic’s mission and working with the talented team, which includes several ex-colleagues from OpenAI and Google.
Durk Kingma’s career path has been marked by his involvement in leading AI research and development. After leaving OpenAI in 2018, he became a part-time angel investor and advisor for AI startups. He then rejoined Google in July of that year, starting at Google Brain, which later merged with DeepMind in 2023.
Anthropic, under the leadership of CEO Dario Amodei, has been positioning itself as a more safety-focused alternative to OpenAI. Amodei, who was once the VP of research at OpenAI, reportedly split with the firm due to disagreements over OpenAI’s growing commercial focus. Since launching Anthropic, Amodei has brought several ex-OpenAI employees on board, including OpenAI’s former policy lead, Jack Clark.
This latest addition to the Anthropic team is expected to further strengthen the company’s capabilities in developing AI responsibly. With Kingma’s expertise in generative AI models and his commitment to safety-focused AI development, his joining Anthropic is set to enhance the company’s research and development efforts.
In conclusion, Durk Kingma’s decision to join Anthropic underscores the company’s commitment to attracting top talent in the AI industry. As Anthropic continues to grow and expand its team, it is likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of AI research and development.
