Babuschkin Departs xAI to Launch AI Safety Investment Firm

Igor Babuschkin, co-founder of xAI, has left the company to launch an investment firm focused on AI safety and agentic systems. Babuschkin, who previously worked at Bloomberg, aims to invest in companies developing AI technologies that are safe and beneficial to society.

Igor Babuschkin, a co-founder of Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI, has announced his departure from the company to launch an investment firm focused on AI safety and agentic systems. Babuschkin, who previously worked at Bloomberg, will invest in companies developing AI technologies that are safe and beneficial to society [1].

Babuschkin's move comes amid ongoing legal disputes between Elon Musk and Apple over alleged antitrust violations related to the App Store's rankings of xAI's AI chatbot, Grok. Musk has accused Apple of favoring OpenAI's ChatGPT, making it difficult for Grok to be discovered by users [2]. This legal action is part of a broader trend where Apple faces scrutiny over its App Store practices, including high fees and restrictive rules [3].

The departure of Babuschkin from xAI coincides with Elon Musk's push to promote xAI and its AI bot, Grok, which debuted as a standalone app in March. The App Store has been a contentious platform for developers, with several regulators investigating the company's app distribution practices [2].

The new investment firm will focus on AI technologies that prioritize safety and societal benefits, highlighting the growing importance of ethical considerations in AI development. Babuschkin's experience at Bloomberg and his role in xAI position him well to identify promising companies in this emerging field.

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/xai-co-founder-babuschkin-departs-launch-ai-safety-investment-firm-2025-08-13/
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/elon-musk-threatens-legal-action-apple-alleged-antitrust-violations-app-store-rankings-xai-grok-2508/
[3] https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/musk-accuses-apple-antitrust-violation-012050817.html