Ilya Sutskever Assumes Safe Superintelligence CEO Role, Rebuffs $32 Billion Acquisition Offers Amidst Daniel Gross's Departure

Ilya Sutskever, a prominent figure in artificial intelligence and co-founder of Safe Superintelligence (SSI), has officially taken over as the company's Chief Executive Officer. This leadership transition follows the resignation of co-founder Daniel Gross, who has reportedly moved to Meta Platforms to lead its AI products division. The change underscores SSI's unwavering commitment to its core mission of developing safe superintelligence, with Sutskever publicly reaffirming the company's independent path and rebuffing significant acquisition offers, including one that reportedly valued SSI at $32 billion.

Daniel Gross's departure from SSI, effective June 29, 2025, was announced by Sutskever on the social media platform X. Gross's move to Meta Platforms signifies a notable gain for the tech giant in the fiercely competitive AI talent landscape. As Matthew Berman observed in a recent tweet,

"Ilya announces the resignation of Daniel Gross. He also doubles down on his straight shot path to super intelligence and rebuff of acquisition offers. Gotta love that conviction." This highlights the strategic implications of Gross's exit and Sutskever's immediate response.

Founded in June 2024 by Sutskever, Gross, and Daniel Levy, SSI was established with a singular, ambitious goal: to create superintelligence safely, without the distraction of interim product cycles or commercial pressures. The company's unique "straight shot" approach means its "first product will be the safe superintelligence, and it will not do anything else up until then." This long-term vision attracted substantial investment, with SSI raising $1 billion in September 2024 from leading venture capital firms, including Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital, within months of its inception.

Sutskever's reaffirmation of SSI's independence directly addresses recent market speculation and acquisition attempts. "You might have heard rumors of companies looking to acquire us. We are flattered by their attention but are focused on seeing our work through," Sutskever stated on X, emphasizing the company's dedication to its mission despite a reported $32 billion valuation. He further asserted, "We have the compute, we have the team, and we know what to do. Together we will keep building safe superintelligence." Daniel Levy, another co-founder, will assume the role of President, completing the new leadership structure as SSI continues its focused pursuit of advanced AI safety.