Igor Babuschkin, one of the founding members and head of engineering at xAI, has officially left the company, marking a significant leadership transition at the artificial intelligence startup spearheaded by Elon Musk. Babuschkin announced his departure on August 13, 2025, via a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on the intense and dynamic journey of building xAI from scratch since 2023. In his farewell message, Babuschkin described his time at xAI as one of the most exhilarating periods of his career. He recalled meeting Musk and feeling aligned by a shared vision for an AI company that put safety and beneficial progress for humanity at the forefront. The company’s remarkable achievements include assembling top engineering talent, delivering state-of-the-art AI models, and constructing supercomputer infrastructure at record speed. Babuschkin highlighted Musk’s hands-on approach and relentless sense of urgency, which challenged the team to solve complex technical problems, sometimes with Musk himself working alongside engineers late into the night. Babuschkin is now launching Babuschkin Ventures, a new firm focused on funding AI safety research and supporting startups developing agentic systems that could profoundly advance human interests and understanding of the universe. The inspiration for this shift came after conversations with leading thinkers in AI safety, and his firm will aim to nurture responsible, forward-thinking innovation in artificial intelligence.His departure follows several notable exits from xAI including its legal chief and the former CEO of X—and comes amid controversy over the company’s AI chatbot, Grok, which faced criticism for problematic language and ethical concerns. These leadership changes spotlight the rapid evolution and internal challenges within emergent AI firms competing at the forefront of global technology. Babuschkin leaves behind a legacy of technical achievement and a collaborative spirit at xAI, with Musk offering public gratitude and crediting him for playing a pivotal role in the startup’s success. As xAI moves ahead, industry observers will watch closely to see how the company adapts and how Babuschkin’s new venture shapes the future of responsible AI development.
Source: TechCrunch reports that xAI co-founder Igor Babuschkin has departed the company to start his own AI-focused venture firm.
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