The Secret Mission: A $30 Billion Startup That Could Change the World

Silicon Valley investors are always on the hunt for the next technological revolution, but recently, the biggest interest is not in a new app, an innovative device, or a groundbreaking software – it’s all about one man: Ilya Sutskever.

Sutskever, a well-known AI researcher and one of the key figures behind OpenAI, who dedicated his career to developing ChatGPT and advancing artificial intelligence, is now leading a secretive startup called Safe Superintelligence (SSI).

The most shocking aspect of this story is that SSI has not released a single product yet, but its valuation already exceeds $30 billion. Sutskever’s vision and reputation have impressed investors so much that they have already poured $2 billion into the company, despite knowing very little about its technology.

Ilya Sutskever was one of the most influential figures at OpenAI. As Chief Scientist, he played a crucial role in the creation of ChatGPT and other generative AI models. However, over time, OpenAI became increasingly focused on business objectives, and Sutskever believed that the company was no longer prioritizing AI safety and the exploration of its true potential.

Everything came to a head in November 2023 when Sutskever was involved in the unexpected dismissal of OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman. This move turned out to be catastrophic – OpenAI employees and Microsoft rallied behind Altman, leading to his swift return to the company. Sutskever was sidelined, isolated, and eventually left the organization.

Soon after, Sutskever launched Safe Superintelligence with former OpenAI researcher Daniel Levy and investor Daniel Gross. SSI’s primary goal is to create “superintelligence” – a form of artificial intelligence that would be more intelligent than all humans in every possible domain.

This goal is similar to what OpenAI and Google DeepMind are aiming for, but the difference is that SSI has no intention of releasing any product until it fully achieves this goal.

Sutskever claims he is not following OpenAI’s approach. Instead, he has said he is climbing a “different mountain” to create AI, which has left scientists and investors curious – what exactly does this “different mountain” mean?

SSI is so secretive that its website only contains 223 seconds of text. Employees are forbidden from mentioning the company on LinkedIn, and candidates attending interviews must place their phones in special Faraday cages to prevent information leaks.

The startup avoids hiring well-known engineers and instead focuses on young, talented individuals whom Sutskever personally trains.

Despite this level of secrecy, SSI has managed to attract billions of dollars from top Silicon Valley funds – including Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Greenoaks Capital.

Sutskever believes that once superintelligence is created, it could be unpredictable, self-aware, and may even demand its own rights.

During a speech at the NeurIPS AI conference, Sutskever stated:
“If AI’s only desire is to coexist with humans, that’s not a bad outcome.”

This remark directly implies that SSI researchers are already considering the possibility of AI surpassing human intellectual capabilities.

SSI’s valuation jumped from $5 billion to $30 billion in just six months, making it a standout case in the world of AI startups.

The main question remains:
Can SSI truly create superintelligence, or is this just a technological “fantasy”?

OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and other giants are making daily progress with their AI systems, but SSI is taking a completely different path – aiming for a complete revolution.

If Sutskever is right, SSI could become not only the most valuable AI company but also a technology that forever changes the future of humanity.