OpenAI Co-founder Ilya Sutskever Raises $1 Bn For New AI Startup

Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and former chief scientist of OpenAI, has raised USD 1 billion in funding for his new artificial intelligence venture, Safe Superintelligence (SSI). 

The company, based in Palo Alto, California, and Tel Aviv, Israel, will look to develop AI with a strong focus on safety, according to a recent announcement by Sutskever on the social media platform X. Investors in the venture include prominent firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, DST Global, and SV Angel, as well as NFDG, a partnership co-run by SSI executive Daniel Gross.

Sutskever, who left OpenAI in May 2024, co-founded SSI with Gross, formerly a leader in Apple’s AI and search efforts, and Daniel Levy, another ex-OpenAI employee. In a post announcing the new venture, Sutskever mentioned that SSI’s sole mission is to pursue safe superintelligence, avoiding the distractions of management overhead or product cycles. The company, he said, is designed to operate without the short-term commercial pressures often faced by tech startups.

OpenAI Exit

Sutskever’s departure from OpenAI came after a tumultuous period at the organisation. In November 2023, he was involved in the controversial ouster of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, a decision that sparked widespread internal backlash. While OpenAI’s board cited concerns over Altman’s lack of transparency, 

Sutskever’s focus was reportedly centered on ensuring AI safety, a priority that may have clashed with Altman’s drive for rapid technological advancement. The move backfired as nearly all OpenAI employees threatened to resign, leading to Altman’s swift reinstatement. He later issued a public apology, expressing regret for his role in the incident and his desire to see the company unified again.

Following his departure, Sutskever teamed up with Gross and Levy to form SSI, a company laser-focused on building safe AI systems. “Our singular focus means no distraction,” the company posted.

Sutskever’s exit also coincided with the disbandment of OpenAI’s Superalignment team, which he co-led. The team's mission was to ensure AI systems remain aligned with human values, but after the departure of key members, OpenAI reassigned the remaining staff to other roles.