OpenAI co-founder raises $2B for superintelligence startup

Safe Superintelligence (SSI), the AI startup founded by former OpenAI co-founder, has raised $2 billion in funding at a $32 billion valuation. The company, launched in June 2023, previously secured $1 billion at a $5 billion valuation.
 

The funding round was led by venture capital firm Greenoaks, contributing $500 million, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Andreessen Horowitz. Experts say this signals that investor interest in AI remains strong despite economic uncertainties in the U.S.

Privacy and Ambitions at SSI

Co-founder left OpenAI following a conflict with CEO Sam Altman. He founded SSI together with former Apple engineer Daniel Gross and researcher Daniel Levy. The company operates offices in Palo Alto and Tel Aviv and remains highly secretive, withholding technical details even from its investors.
 

SSI aims to develop a powerful and safe next-generation artificial intelligence system, one that could surpass current models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. The team places strong emphasis on scalability and safety in the AI development process.

Continuing the Alignment Mission

At OpenAI, he led the «alignment» initiative, which focused on ensuring AI remains under human control. He continues that mission at SSI, with the goal of building a controllable superintelligence.
 

While SSI declined to comment on the latest funding round, media reports suggest it has already become one of the world’s most valuable AI startups. Meanwhile, former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati has also launched a similar AI venture.