Igor Babuschkin, a co-founder of xAI, an artificial intelligence venture founded by Elon Musk in 2023, has officially announced his departure.
In a heartfelt post on X, Babuschkin wrote, “Today was my last day at xAI, the company that I helped start with Elon Musk in 2023. Building AI that advances humanity has been my lifelong dream.”
In his new venture, Babuschkin Ventures, he focuses on AI safety and responsible innovation.
A vision beyond xAI
In his announcement, Babuschkin recalled the early days partnering with Musk, “I still remember the day I first met Elon; we talked for hours about AI and what the future might hold. We both felt that a new AI company with a different mission was needed.”
His upcoming venture aims to fund research and startups working on AI and agentic systems with the power to “advance humanity and unlock the mysteries of our universe,” he shared.
Lessons from Elon Musk
Reflecting on his time with Musk, Babuschkin highlighted two lessons he learned: “Be fearless in rolling up your sleeves to personally dig into technical problems, and have a maniacal sense of urgency.”
These principles helped xAI perform rapid engineering feats like building the Memphis supercluster in just over four months—a project many deemed “impossible.”
A future focused on AI safety
Babuschkin Ventures will concentrate its efforts on AI safety research and the ethical deployment of advanced AI tools.
Babuschkin expressed confidence in the future, stating, “The singularity is near, but humanity’s future is bright.”
His new firm represents a shift from creating AI products to investing in technologies that ensure AI benefits society globally.
Elon Musk publicly wished him well, tweeting, “Best of luck, Igor,” signalling mutual respect despite the transition.
Babuschkin’s departure marks a notable change for xAI but promises new developments in responsible artificial intelligence.
Following the departure of other senior xAI personnel, the move highlights the growing complexity and stakes of AI advancement and the global focus on AI governance and safety protocols.