Ilya Sutskever Launches Safe Superintelligence as CEO After Meta Exit
▼ Summary
– Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI co-founder, announced he will become CEO of Safe Superintelligence, the AI startup he launched last year.
– Daniel Gross, Safe Superintelligence’s former CEO, left the company after being poached by Meta, with his last day on June 29.
– Meta has been aggressively hiring AI talent, including a $14 billion investment in Scale AI, but Gross was not listed among Meta’s new hires.
– Sutskever rejected Meta’s acquisition attempts for Safe Superintelligence, which was valued at $32 billion in April, and plans to keep the company independent.
– Sutskever previously co-led OpenAI’s Superalignment team and emphasized Safe Superintelligence’s focus on building safe superintelligence with its existing team and resources.
Ilya Sutskever, the renowned co-founder of OpenAI, has officially stepped into the role of CEO at Safe Superintelligence, the AI startup he established last year. This leadership transition follows the departure of Daniel Gross, the company’s former CEO, who recently joined Meta as part of its aggressive push into artificial intelligence.
Sutskever shared the news in a social media post, clarifying that Gross’s involvement with Safe Superintelligence had been gradually concluding, with his official exit occurring on June 29. Daniel Levy, another co-founder, will now take on the position of president, while the technical team remains under Sutskever’s direct oversight.
Meta’s recruitment drive has been making headlines, particularly after CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a new division called Meta Superintelligence Labs, staffed with leading AI researchers and engineers. The company has invested heavily in talent, including a $14 billion deal with Scale AI, which brought founder Alexandr Wang and key engineers into Meta’s fold. Despite these high-profile acquisitions, Gross’s name was notably absent from Zuckerberg’s announcement.
Reports indicate that Meta attempted to acquire Safe Superintelligence earlier this year, but Sutskever declined the offer. The startup, valued at $32 billion in a recent funding round, remains committed to independence. In his statement, Sutskever acknowledged the acquisition rumors but emphasized the company’s dedication to its mission. “We have the resources, the team, and the vision,” he wrote. “Our focus is on delivering safe superintelligence, and we’re determined to see it through.”
Before founding Safe Superintelligence, Sutskever played a pivotal role at OpenAI as chief scientist and co-led its Superalignment team alongside Jan Leike, who later moved to competitor Anthropic. His latest venture underscores his continued influence in shaping the future of AI development.
The AI industry remains fiercely competitive, with major players like Meta aggressively expanding their capabilities. Yet, Sutskever’s leadership signals a steadfast commitment to advancing AI safety and innovation outside the orbit of tech giants.
(Source: cnbc)
