Welcome back!

Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s Co-Founder and former Chief Scientist, launched a new venture, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), in June. SSI has now raised funds, valuing the company at $5 billion. Backed by top-tier venture capital, SSI is focusing on a research-first approach to developing super-intelligent AIs. Let's unpack...

Today’s Summary:

• 🚀 Sutskever’s SSI valued at $5B

• 🎥 Luma AI adds camera motion controls

• 🧬 AlphaProteo designs proteins for medical research

• 📸 Google adds AI Search in Photos App

• 🆔 YouTube to tag AI-altered videos

• 🏭 OpenAI books TSMC 1.6nm chip capacity for 2026

• 🛠️ 2 new tools

TOP STORY

OpenAI Co-Founder's new AI venture valued at $5B

The Summary: Former OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever's new venture, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), has secured $1 billion in funding just three months after its launch. The startup is focused on developing safe AI systems that surpass human capabilities, with a strong emphasis on research and no immediate plans for product development.

Key details:

• SSI raised $1B from NFDG, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, DST Global, and others

• Valued at $5B with just 10 employees in Palo Alto and Tel Aviv

• Funds will be used for computing power and recruiting top talent

• Will focus on R&D for several years before launching any products

• SSI was cofounded in June 2024 by Ilya Sutskever, Daniel Gross (ex-Apple AI lead) and Daniel Levy (former OpenAI researcher)

Why it matters: This massive investment in a research-focused AI startup signals that investors see immense value on long-term foundational AI research. SSI's approach, prioritizing safety alongside capability development, could shape the future direction of the broader AI industry.

SSI minimalist website

TOOLS

Luma AI adds Camera Motion controls to video generator

The Summary: Luma AI has released Dream Machine v1.6, the latest version of its AI video generator, now featuring camera motion controls. Users can direct text-to-video and image-to-video scenes by using 12 different camera motion controls, triggered by typing "camera" in the prompt.

• 12 new camera motions including Pan Left/Right, Pull Out, Orbit Left/Right, and more

• 3D animation pop-outs help visualize each motion

• The fine-tuned model responds to specific phrases for camera movements

Try Dream Machine v1.6

GOOGLE DEEPMIND

AlphaProteo AI designs new proteins for medical breakthroughs

The Summary: Google DeepMind has introduced AlphaProteo, an AI system that designs specialized proteins that attach to target molecules in the body. These 'protein binders' are critical for studying diseases and developing new treatments. In tests on seven key biological targets, AlphaProteo created proteins that outperformed those produced by traditional methods.

Key details:

• First AI to create a working binder for VEGF-A, a protein linked to cancer

• 88% of designs for viral protein BHRF1 succeeded in lab tests

• Advanced imaging confirmed the AI-designed proteins match predictions

• Some binders showed practical applications, such as blocking SARS-CoV-2 infection

Why it matters: AlphaProteo's ability to design effective protein binders could greatly speed up medical research. By using AI to target previously hard-to-reach disease molecules, scientists can accelerate the understanding of biological processes, as well as the development of new drugs and diagnostic tests.

Read the whitepaper

QUICK NEWS

Quick news

• Google launches improved AI search in Google Photos

• YouTube will flag videos where AI is used to copy someone's voice or face

• OpenAI booked capacity for TSMC 1.6nm chips

TOOLS

🥇 New tools

• Replit Agent - Build software projects in minutes

• Jsonify - Turn websites into useful data