Ex-OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever launches 'safe' AI company: Will it rival OpenAI?

OpenAI's co-founder and former chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, has started a new AI company called Safe Super intelligence (SSI), just a month after quitting OpenAI.

According to the company’s X account, creating a safe superintelligence is the “most important technical problem of our time,” and this mission is the reason Safe Superintelligence exists.

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Safety Is The Top Priority For Ilya Sutskever

Sutskever is known for his differences with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. During his time on the board of directors, he even led the charge against firing Altman late last year.

Reports mention that the rift between the two top executives grew because Sutskever wasn’t happy with how quickly AI was progressing. This has been a talking point among both experts and the public, highlighting concerns about how rapid AI advancement could harm humanity in the long run.

Also read: ChatGPT-maker OpenAI announces Safety and Security Committee

Now, with his new company, Sutskever plans to do things differently, hence the name Safe Superintelligence. “SSI is our mission, our name, and our entire product roadmap, because it is our sole focus. Our team, investors, and business model are all aligned to achieve SSI,” the company said on X.

It added, “We approach safety and capabilities in tandem, as technical problems to be solved through revolutionary engineering and scientific breakthroughs. We plan to advance capabilities as fast as possible while making sure our safety always remains ahead. This way, we can scale in peace.”

What It Means For OpenAI

Being in the AI space naturally makes OpenAI and SSI rivals, but this doesn’t mean that competition will heat up soon. OpenAI already has multiple years of experience and stable products like GPT-4 and GPT-4.0. Moreover, OpenAI’s collaborations with companies like Apple are expected to fuel further growth.

Also read: OpenAI uses Scarlett Johansson’s voice for ChatGPT without permission

Meanwhile, speaking to Bloomberg, Sutskever mentioned that he won’t be doing anything else with the company until a safe superintelligence is achieved. The keyword here is "safe," so it may take a while before we see any mass-grade products from this new AI company.

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