Notable Researchers Join $4 Billion Effort to Build Self-Improving A.I.

Notable Researchers Join $4 Billion Effort to Build Self-Improving A.I.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/technology/recursive-superintelligence-funding-ai.html

Publish Date: 2026-05-13 14:14:00

Source Domain: www.nytimes.com

Here is a summary of the article, presented as an unordered list with key points:

• Advanced A.I. Coding Capabilities: Recent advancements from companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI show that AI systems are now highly skilled at writing and improving computer code, significantly altering software development practices in Silicon Valley.

• Self-Improving A.I.: Leading researchers believe that AI will soon be capable of enhancing its capabilities independently with minimal inputs from human developers, a concept termed as “recursive self-improvement.”

• Recursive Superintelligence Launch: Dr. Richard Socher founded Recursive Superintelligence along with seven other prominent researchers. This startup focuses on achieving the goal of self-improving AI and has attracted over $650 million in funding from major venture capital firms.

• Industry Collaboration and Funding: The startup boasts partnerships with influential players including Google Ventures, Greycroft, and semiconductor giants like Nvidia and AMD. Recursive Superintelligence, less than six months old, is currently valued at over $4 billion.

• Diversified Expertise: The co-founders of Recursive Superintelligence encompass expertise from several leading AI companies such as Salesforce, Meta, and OpenAI, highlighting a blend of top talent in AI research.

• Goal of Open-Endedness: Part of the drive behind this company incorporates the concept of “open-endedness,” where AI systems autonomously pursue set goals over extended periods. This includes the hiring of seasoned experts like Peter Norvig, former Google research director.

• Skepticism and Human Role Persistence: While many researchers are optimistic, others caution that current AI technology is far from fully autonomous. Human developers still play a crucial role in generating new ideas and directing AI development.

• Industry-Wide Ambitions: Companies like OpenAI are working towards creating automated AI researchers, indicating a broader industry push towards machine-led innovation. The aim is to progressively transfer more tasks to machines, including idea generation, although this path could take years.

• Extended Applications: Recursive Superintelligence aims to apply its advancements beyond software development, with potential applications in drug discovery and other biological research domains in the future.

Note: The lawsuit by The New York Times against OpenAI and Microsoft regarding copyright infringement is mentioned in context, though it is not a focal point of the article.