The OpenAI scientist associated with the failed 2023 effort to remove Sam Altman was Ilya Sutskever. He later left OpenAI and co-founded Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI), a company whose stated goal is to build a safe superintelligence. Sutskever was not himself ousted from OpenAI in the board episode; he took part in the effort and later supported Altman’s return.
How the OpenAI crisis led to SSI
In November 2023, OpenAI’s board briefly removed CEO Sam Altman. The Associated Press and TIME reported in 2024 that Sutskever participated in the effort and later backed Altman’s return. He left OpenAI in 2024 and went on to establish SSI with two co-founders.
| Date | Development | Source |
|---|---|---|
| November 2023 | Sutskever participated in the board effort that temporarily removed Altman. | Associated Press and TIME, 2024 |
| June 19, 2024 | SSI published its founding statement naming Sutskever, Daniel Gross, and Daniel Levy as founders. | Safe Superintelligence Inc. |
| July 27, 2026 | NVIDIA announced a long-term strategic partnership with SSI. | NVIDIA |
What Safe Superintelligence says it is building
SSI describes itself as a research lab focused on one goal: developing a safe superintelligence. In its June 19, 2024 founding statement, the founders wrote, “We have started the world’s first straight-shot SSI lab, with one goal and one product: a safe superintelligence.” That is a statement of the company’s aim, not evidence that it has already achieved superintelligence or released a model.
Safety and capability are meant to advance together
The founders say safety is part of the work from the outset, rather than an add-on after capabilities are developed. They also frame SSI’s structure as a way to protect that focus from commercial demands: “Our singular focus means no distraction by management overhead or product cycles, and our business model means safety, security, and progress are all insulated from short-term commercial pressures.” These are the founders’ stated principles; the statement does not disclose the company’s financial details or provide independent evidence of how those principles work in practice.
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Where SSI operates
SSI says it is an American company with offices in Palo Alto, California, and Tel Aviv, Israel, where it says it has deep roots and access to technical talent.
Who founded SSI
- Ilya Sutskever: OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist, and a central figure in the 2023 board crisis.
- Daniel Gross: SSI co-founder; reporting identifies him as a former Apple AI lead, entrepreneur, and investor.
- Daniel Levy: SSI co-founder and former OpenAI researcher whose work included large-model training and optimization.
What the NVIDIA partnership does—and does not—show
NVIDIA’s July 27, 2026 announcement describes a long-term strategic partnership with SSI and identifies Sutskever and Levy as the company’s leaders. It establishes an infrastructure relationship, but does not by itself show that SSI has launched a consumer-facing AI service or made a model available to the public.
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Is SSI a rival to OpenAI, and does it have a product?
SSI is pursuing advanced AI, so its stated area of work overlaps with the broader field in which OpenAI operates. But its announced goal is a safe superintelligence, not a named chatbot or other consumer product. The cited company statement and NVIDIA announcement do not establish a public model, a product launch date, or a commercial AI service for sale. They also do not provide a confirmed employee count, valuation, or revenue figure.
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