Summary:
Safe Superintelligence (SSI) raises $2 billion with a valuation of $32 billion and no products yet.
Led by Greenoaks, with backing from Alphabet and Nvidia.
Aims to develop a superintelligent AI aligned with human values, critiquing OpenAI.
Utilizes Google's TPUs instead of Nvidia's GPUs, marking a rare move in the industry.
Valuation surged from $5 billion to $32 billion in under a year.
In a stunning move within the AI sector, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), founded by Ilya Sutskever, has successfully raised $2 billion in funding, achieving a valuation of $32 billion without any publicly available products or services.
Major Investors on Board
The funding round was spearheaded by Greenoaks, which contributed $500 million, alongside notable investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and DST Global. Additionally, tech giants Alphabet and Nvidia have also invested, with Google Cloud providing crucial infrastructure support for the AI lab.
A Vision for the Future
The investment reflects immense confidence in Sutskever and his co-founders, Daniel Gross and Daniel Levy, who aim to create a superintelligent AI that aligns with human values. This mission subtly critiques the trajectory of OpenAI, the organization Sutskever departed after an internal conflict.
Unique Development Strategy
SSI is notably utilizing Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) for model development, marking a departure from the industry-standard Nvidia GPUs. This strategic choice positions SSI as Google Cloud’s most significant TPU customer since its commercial debut.
Growing Presence in Tel Aviv
With a growing team of around 20 employees, SSI has recently expanded its presence in Tel Aviv, leasing new office space and hiring local talent, including Dr. Yair Carmon from Tel Aviv University.
Investor Confidence and Market Trends
SSI's valuation has skyrocketed from $5 billion in its initial funding round last September to $32 billion in less than a year. This surge indicates that investors are banking on Sutskever's reputation, especially given his pivotal role in OpenAI's success with GPT.
The Bigger Picture
This trend highlights a shift in the AI landscape where visionary leadership and access to infrastructure are becoming more critical than immediate product delivery. The current dynamics show that tech giants are increasingly investing in foundational companies that will leverage their infrastructure, as seen with Alphabet and Amazon backing companies like Anthropic and SSI.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Comments