Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and former chief scientist of OpenAI, has teamed up with former OpenAI engineer Daniel Levy and investor Daniel Gross to establish Safe Superintelligence, Inc. (SSI). This new venture is dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) while ensuring its safety and reliability.

SSI, headquartered in Palo Alto and Tel Aviv, is focused on developing AI capabilities alongside robust safety measures. The founders emphasized their commitment to a singular focus on AI safety, unburdened by typical business pressures such as management overhead and product cycles. This approach, they believe, will allow them to prioritize long-term safety and progress over short-term commercial gains.

Sutskever's departure from OpenAI on May 14 followed a period of significant internal changes, including the controversial firing and subsequent reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman. Sutskever, who played a complex role during this time, and Levy were part of a broader exodus of researchers concerned about the future direction of AI safety at OpenAI.

The formation of SSI reflects ongoing concerns about the potential risks associated with advanced AI systems, often referred to as artificial general intelligence (AGI). Sutskever, along with Jan Leike, previously led OpenAI's Superalignment team, which focused on steering and controlling highly intelligent AI systems. This team was disbanded following their departures, despite OpenAI's efforts to defend its safety protocols.

The establishment of SSI is part of a broader movement among AI researchers and industry leaders to address the ethical and safety implications of AI development. Prominent figures such as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have voiced concerns about the risks posed by AGI. In March 2024, Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and over 2,600 other tech leaders called for a six-month pause on AI system training to assess the profound risks involved.

The SSI announcement highlighted the company's active recruitment of engineers and researchers to further its mission of safe and capable AI development. This initiative represents a significant step towards addressing the dual challenges of advancing AI technology while mitigating its potential dangers.

With SSI's focused mission and strategic leadership, the company aims to play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI in a safe and responsible manner.