OpenAI Co-founder Ilya Sutskever Launches New AI Startup Focused Solely on Safe Superintelligence
San Francisco, September 6, 2024 – Ilya Sutskever, the former Chief Scientist of OpenAI, has launched a new company, Safe Superintelligence Inc (SSI),with a bold mission: to create a safe and beneficial artificial general intelligence (AGI). The startup has already secured $1 billion in funding from prominent investors including NFDG, a16z, Sequoia, DST Global, and SV Angel, and is valued at a staggering $5 billion.
SSI’s focus is singular: to develop a safe and powerful AGI. The company hasa lean team of just 10 employees, but plans to use the funding to acquire computing power and attract top talent. Notably, SSI has announced that it will not release any products until its AGI is fully developed and deemed safe.This unconventional approach, which prioritizes long-term research over immediate commercialization, sets SSI apart from other AI companies.
Our mission is to go directly to safe superintelligence, specifically spending years on research and development of our product before bringing it to market, said Daniel Gross, CEO of SSI. We believethat this is the best way to ensure that AGI is developed responsibly and safely.
Sutskever’s departure from OpenAI in May 2024 followed a tumultuous period for the company, including the removal and subsequent reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman. Sutskever, who was a vocal advocatefor prioritizing safety in AI development, expressed his belief that OpenAI could not fully realize its vision for a safe and beneficial AGI due to its evolving structure and the limitations of its Superalignment team.
I found a different mountain to climb, Sutskever told Reuters, describing his decision to startSSI. Some people can just go faster on the same road for a long time. That’s not our style. But if you do something different, you have the potential to create something special.
SSI’s approach to AGI development differs significantly from OpenAI’s. While OpenAI operates as ahybrid organization with a non-profit arm and a for-profit division, SSI will operate as a traditional for-profit company. This means that SSI will not be bound by OpenAI’s capped profit structure, which limits profits for investors and employees, with any excess going back to the non-profit organization.
This difference in structure has led some to view SSI as a direct counterpoint to OpenAI. Deutsche Bank Research, in a briefing note, described SSI as the antithesis of OpenAI. The bank noted that SSI’s focus on long-term research without immediate product releases could create challenges in securing funding,given the high costs of AI research and the scarcity of talent.
There is a heated debate in the AI field between those who see potential risks and call for slower progress and those who want to move forward at full speed, Deutsche Bank added. With his own platform, Sutskever may gain a strongervoice and become a kind of counterpoint to his former boss, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
The $1 billion funding and $5 billion valuation of SSI, a company with no products and a small team, have raised eyebrows in the tech industry. Some critics question the feasibility of achieving AGI within a few years, while others express skepticism about the company’s ability to deliver on its ambitious goals.
However, supporters of SSI point to Sutskever’s proven track record as a leader and innovator in the field of AI. They argue that his expertise and the company’s focus on safety make it a compelling investmentopportunity. The company’s valuation reflects the potential for AGI to revolutionize various industries, and investors are willing to take a risk on a company that aims to build the foundation for this future.
SSI’s success will depend on its ability to attract and retain top talent, as well as its ability to navigatethe complex ethical and societal implications of AGI development. The company’s commitment to safety and its unconventional approach to research and development could potentially set a new standard for responsible AI development.
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