OpenAI Co-Founder Sutskever’s AI Startup SSI Raises $1B at $5B Valuation

Safe Superintelligence (SSI), co-founded by OpenAI’s former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, has raised $1 billion to develop AI systems that surpass human capabilities while ensuring safety, executives told Reuters. The company, with just 10 employees, plans to use the funds for computing power and talent acquisition, with teams based in Palo Alto and Tel Aviv. Although SSI didn’t disclose its valuation, sources said it’s valued at $5 billion.

Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, DST Global, and SV Angel. NFDG, an investment partnership led by Nat Friedman and SSI CEO Daniel Gross, also contributed. SSI’s focus on AI safety aligns with ongoing industry debates, as some companies like Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI support regulations, while others like OpenAI and Google oppose them.

Sutskever, a key figure in AI, co-founded SSI in June with Gross and former OpenAI researcher Daniel Levy. Sutskever serves as chief scientist, Levy as principal scientist, and Gross handles computing power and fundraising. Sutskever left OpenAI in May after a diminished role following his involvement in the failed ousting of CEO Sam Altman.

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