A months-old AI startup from former Google DeepMind researcher David Silver has raised a seed round large enough to rival late-stage financing. Ineffable Intelligence secured $1.1 billion in funding, reportedly the largest seed raise in European history, at a $5.1 billion valuation. Sequoia and Lightspeed co-led the round, with participation from Nvidia, Google, and the UK Sovereign AI Fund. The company is betting on reinforcement learning as an alternative path to advanced AI, building models that learn from experience rather than relying primarily on human-generated internet text.
The startup intends to develop a superlearner capable of discovering knowledge through its own experiences. “Our mission is to make first contact with superintelligence,” Silver stated. The venture aims to move beyond traditional training data to achieve breakthroughs in science and mathematics. UK Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall noted the investment underlines a determination to ensure the country is a maker of AI technology rather than just a consumer.
This raise follows a pattern of high-profile departures from major tech firms to launch independent AI labs. Other recent examples include AMI Labs, founded by former Meta AI chief Yann LeCun, and Recursive Superintelligence, led by former DeepMind engineer Tim Rocktäschel. Ineffable Intelligence will use the capital to pursue superintelligence by training models on motor skills and intellectual tasks.