Sakana AI bets AI that improves itself can break the compute arms race of frontier labs

Sakana AI has launched a dedicated research lab focused on recursive self-improvement, aiming to develop AI that can iteratively enhance itself. Co-founded by Llion Jones, a co-author of the Transformer model, this approach seeks to provide an alternative to the traditional compute race among major US labs. The startup's model allows AI systems to learn and evolve without relying heavily on massive computing resources. Meanwhile, Anthropic has raised concerns about the control risks associated with this technology, highlighting the need for caution in its deployment.