DeepMind’s David Silver just raised $1.1B to build an AI that learns without human data

Ineffable Intelligence, a newly established British AI laboratory founded by David Silver, a former researcher at DeepMind, has successfully raised $1.1 billion in funding, achieving a remarkable valuation of $5.1 billion. The ambitious goal of Ineffable Intelligence is to create a groundbreaking 'superlearner' that can acquire knowledge and skills independently, utilizing reinforcement learning methods instead of relying on human-generated data. Silver, who has a strong background in reinforcement learning, previously led a team at Google-owned DeepMind for over a decade. His notable accomplishments include the development of AI systems that triumphed over professional players in chess and Go by learning solely through their own experiences, without any human strategies or game records fed into them. One of the most prominent examples of his work is AlphaZero, which showcased the potential of AI learning through trial and error. Ineffable's vision for its superlearner is to replicate this success by allowing the AI to discover knowledge through its own experiences. The company’s website articulates a bold ambition, claiming that if they succeed, it could mark a scientific breakthrough comparable to Charles Darwin's contributions to understanding life. In a personal note on the company blog, Silver expressed that any profits from Ineffable will be directed towards high-impact charities aimed at saving lives. While the route to profitability remains unclear, this has not deterred investors. The funding round was spearheaded by Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners, with additional investment from heavyweights like Google, Nvidia, and Index Ventures. With a valuation surpassing $5 billion, Ineffable Intelligence has joined a select group of AI startups that have garnered significant backing from prominent researchers, often referred to as 'coconut rounds' due to their size. Just recently, AMI Labs, co-founded by renowned scientist Yann LeCun, raised $1.03 billion at a pre-money valuation of $3.5 billion. Another venture, Recursive Superintelligence, co-founded by Tim Rocktäschel, has also seen interest with reports of raising $500 million, potentially reaching $1 billion due to high demand. This trend highlights London’s growing prominence as an AI hub, bolstered by DeepMind's influence following its acquisition by Google in 2014. Additionally, Jeff Bezos’ AI initiative, Project Prometheus, is reportedly negotiating for office space near Google’s AI center, further enhancing the interconnected network of AI talent in the region. Several former DeepMind employees are expected to join Ineffable’s executive team, indicating the strong foundation upon which this startup is being built.