Former OpenAI Colleague to Launch Rival AI Firm

Co-founder and Chief Scientist of OpenAI, Ilya Sutskever, has announced the creation of a new AI company, Safe Superintelligence.

I am starting a new company: https://t.co/BG3K3SI3A1

— Ilya Sutskever (@ilyasut) June 19, 2024

The firm will focus on developing “safe superintelligence.”

“We view safety and capabilities together as technical challenges to be addressed through revolutionary engineering and scientific breakthroughs. We plan to scale capabilities as quickly as possible while ensuring safety,” states a post from the company on X.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Sutskever noted that the project will be shielded from external pressures associated with managing a large and complex product in a competitive environment. Information about the startup’s investors or funds raised has not been disclosed.

At a fundamental level, safe superintelligence must possess properties that prevent it from causing large-scale harm to humanity, Sutskever noted. In his view, AI should be based on key liberal values such as freedom and democracy.

Co-founders of Safe Superintelligence include former OpenAI developer Daniel Levy and former head of AI at Apple, Daniel Gross.

Sutskever left OpenAI in May after nearly a decade. He is considered one of the initiators of the dismissal of the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, last November. The leading AI startup developer was removed from the company’s board following Altman’s return.

Back in November, Altman returned as CEO of OpenAI and spoke positively about Sutskever.