AI startup by OpenAI co-founder raises $1 bln

Safe Superintelligence (SSI), a new AI startup co-founded by Ilya Sutskever, former chief scientist and co-founder at OpenAI, has raised $1 billion in cash. In an interview with Reuters, SSI announced its goal to build "safe AI systems that far surpass human capabilities".

SSI, which currently has 10 employees, plans to use the funds to acquire computing power and hire top talent. It will focus on building a small highly trusted team of researchers and engineers split between Palo Alto, California and Tel Aviv, Israel.

The company declined to share its valuation, but sources close to the matter said it was valued at $5 billion. Investors included top venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, DST Global, and SV Angel. NFDG, an investment partnership run by Nat Friedman and SSI's Chief Executive Daniel Gross, also participated.

Sutskever, 37, is considered one of the most influential technologists in AI. He co-founded SSI in June with Gross, who previously led AI initiatives at Apple, and Daniel Levy, a former OpenAI researcher. Sutskever is the chief scientist, and Levy is the principal scientist, while Gross is responsible for computing power and fundraising.

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Co-founder Ilya Sutskever leaves OpenAI

Sutskever said his new venture made sense because he "identified a mountain that's a bit different from what I was working on."

Last year, Sutskever was a part of the board of OpenAI's non-profit parent which voted to oust OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over a "breakdown of communications." Within days, he reversed his decision and joined nearly all of OpenAI's employees in signing a letter demanding Altman's return and the board's resignation. But the turn of events diminished his role at OpenAI. He was removed from the board and left the company in May.