Igor Babuschkin, who co-founded xAI with Elon Musk in 2023 and led the startup’s engineering teams, announced on Wednesday that he is leaving to start a new venture capital firm.

“Today was my last day at xAI, the company that I helped start with Elon Musk in 2023,” Babuschkin wrote on X. “We both felt that a new AI company with a different kind of mission was needed.”

His new firm, Babuschkin Ventures, will fund AI safety research and startups that, in his words, “advance humanity and unlock the mysteries of our universe.” Babuschkin said the idea was inspired by a dinner with Max Tegmark, founder of the Future of Life Institute, where they discussed building AI systems designed to benefit future generations.

Babuschkin’s exit comes during a turbulent period for xAI, as its Grok chatbot has faced multiple high-profile controversies:

These incidents have, at times, overshadowed Grok’s strong technical performance on AI benchmarks compared to OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic.

Before co-founding xAI, Babuschkin worked at Google DeepMind, where he was part of the team behind AlphaStar, a breakthrough AI that defeated top-ranked players in the video game StarCraft in 2019. He also spent time at OpenAI as a researcher prior to the release of ChatGPT.

At xAI, Babuschkin helped lead the construction of the company’s Memphis, Tennessee supercomputer in just three months — a timeline that industry experts initially called “impossible.” While the feat was achieved, environmental groups have raised concerns about the temporary gas turbines powering the system, citing emissions and local health risks.

Reflecting on his time at the company, Babuschkin likened his departure to “a proud parent, driving away after sending their kid away to college,” and credited Musk with teaching him two lessons:

“#1 be fearless in rolling up your sleeves to personally dig into technical problems, #2 have a maniacal sense of urgency.”

Q: Who is Igor Babuschkin?
A: Co-founder of xAI, former engineering lead, and veteran AI researcher with experience at Google DeepMind and OpenAI.

Q: Why did Babuschkin leave xAI?
A: To launch Babuschkin Ventures, a venture capital firm funding AI safety initiatives and startups.

Q: What inspired his new firm?
A: A dinner conversation with Max Tegmark of the Future of Life Institute about building safe AI systems.

Q: What controversies has xAI faced recently?
A: Scandals involving its Grok chatbot, including biased outputs, antisemitic remarks, and inappropriate AI-generated content.

Q: What was his role before xAI?
A: He worked on AlphaStar at Google DeepMind and conducted research at OpenAI.

Babuschkin’s departure marks a turning point for xAI, removing one of the company’s founding engineering leaders during a period of both high-profile technical achievement and public controversy. For Elon Musk’s AI startup, it creates an opening to redefine its leadership approach while continuing to compete with OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic.

At the same time, Babuschkin’s move to launch a venture capital firm dedicated to AI safety research positions him as a potential catalyst for shaping industry standards and funding projects designed to keep advanced AI systems aligned with human values. In an era where the pace of innovation often outstrips regulatory frameworks, his influence could help determine which safety priorities take root in the next wave of AI development.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.