Introduction
Safe Super intelligence (SSI), the artificial intelligence startup co-founded by Open AI’s former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, is in talks to raise funding at a valuation of at least $20 billion. This prospective valuation would quadruple its previous $5 billion rating from last September, reflecting heightened investor confidence in its pioneering approach to developing safe superintelligence that remains aligned with human interests. GetMyIndia.com
What is Safe Superintelligence (SSI)
Safe Superintelligence, an artificial intelligence startup founded in June 2024, has offices in Palo Alto and Tel Aviv. Co-founded by OpenAI’s former chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, the other co-founders are Daniel Gross, who led AI initiatives at Apple, and Daniel Levy, a former OpenAI researcher. SSI’s fundraising effort comes when the AI industry is reassessing valuations, especially after Chinese startup DeepSeek introduced a low-cost AI model last month. Conversations with investors are still in the early stages, and terms may change, according to sources who requested anonymity. It’s unclear how much SSI is aiming to raise.
Secretive AI Startup
Details about SSI’s work are scarce, but the buzz around the startup largely stems from Sutskever’s reputation. Known for his role in the breakthroughs that fueled the generative AI boom, Sutskever was an early advocate for scaling, dedicating large computing power and data to refine AI models. This approach played a pivotal role in the development of ChatGPT and spurred billions in AI infrastructure investments.
However, Sutskever also recognized the limitations of this method, particularly the shrinking pool of training data. He shifted focus to the inference stage, where trained AI models generate results, and led the team responsible for OpenAI’s recent advancements in reasoning models.
SSI’s approach to growth is distinct from other AI labs. The startup has told investors it plans to “scale in peace,” insulating its progress from short-term commercial demands. This stands in contrast to OpenAI, which transitioned from a nonprofit to a revenue-generating business after ChatGPT’s unexpected success in 2022. OpenAI pulled in nearly $4 billion last year and projects $11.6 billion this year. Public information about SSI’s methods remains minimal. In an interview with Reuters last year, Sutskever called the startup’s direction “a new mountain to climb” but shared little beyond that.
Fallout and Focus
At OpenAI, Sutskever co-led the Superalignment team with Jan Leike, who left in May to join rival AI firm Anthropic. OpenAI disbanded the Superalignment team shortly after their departures, redistributing members internally. Leike later commented that OpenAI’s focus on safety had taken a back seat to product development. SSI’s leadership, consisting of Sutskever, Gross, and Levy, emphasizes its singular mission. “Our name reflects our purpose,” the company posted on X. We are committed to our singular goal, free from the distractions of management or product cycles.”
Sutskever’s exit from OpenAI followed a turbulent period marked by the controversial removal of CEO Sam Altman. Sutskever later expressed regret for his role, stating on X, “I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we’ve built together, and I will do everything I can to reunite the company.”
Meanwhile, fundraising for foundation model companies and generative AI startups continues with no signs of slowing down. OpenAI is in talks to double its valuation to $300 billion, while Anthropic is nearing a $60 billion valuation in its latest funding round.
Still, investors face fresh scrutiny following the rise of DeepSeek, whose open-source models rival U.S. counterparts at a fraction of the cost. DeepSeek’s emergence wiped nearly $600 billion off Nvidia’s market cap in late January. Despite this, major tech firms continue ramping up AI investments, as reflected in their recent earnings reports.
SSI’s new approach to building AI models.
In December, Liquid AI Inc. raised $250 million from investors to develop so-called liquid neural networks. The startup says that such algorithms can match the output quality of cutting-edge LLMs using a fraction of the hardware. An AI model is made of artificial neurons, simple programs that each perform a small portion of the processing involved in generating a prompt response. Each neuron, in turn, includes components called weights and activation functions. Weights determine which pieces of data an AI model takes into account when making decisions. Activation functions contain the code that the neuron uses to analyze this data.
Standard LLMs’ weights and activation functions don’t change after training. Liquid neural networks, in contrast, can reconfigure those components during inference. That allows such algorithms to continuously adapt the way they perform processing based on the data they ingest.
SSI is one of several AI providers reportedly seeking to raise new funding. Last month, word emerged that OpenAI hopes to close a $40 billion round at a $340 million valuation. Rival Anthropic PBC is reportedly seeking to raise $2 billion at a $60 billion valuation.
Investor Interest Rises Despite SSI’s Early Stage
Despite being in its early stages and not yet generating revenue, Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI) has garnered significant investor interest. This is largely attributed to the company’s strong leadership under Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI, and its focus on developing AI systems that prioritize safety and alignment with human interests. Investors are drawn to SSI’s long-term vision of advancing AI responsibly, believing that the company’s commitment to AI safety will become a key factor in the broader AI landscape. This growing support highlights the increasing confidence in the startup’s potential and the importance of ethical considerations in the development of future AI technologies.
Conclusion
Ilya Sutskever’s company, Safe Super Intelligence Inc. (SSI), is gaining significant investor interest, with discussions underway to raise new funding that would push its valuation above $20 billion. This highlights the growing confidence in SSI’s potential to shape the future of AI technology, especially in the realm of aligning artificial intelligence with human values. The rapid increase in valuation reflects both market enthusiasm and the strength of the leadership behind SSI.
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