In the fast-evolving world of artificial intelligence, a key figure from OpenAI’s groundbreaking Sora project is making waves again. Will DePue, the engineer who played a pivotal role in developing the text-to-video AI model Sora, has announced his return to OpenAI to lead a new, high-stakes initiative. According to a recent report in Business Insider, DePue is assembling a small team to pursue artificial superintelligence (ASI), a form of AI that surpasses human intelligence across all domains. This move comes at a time when OpenAI is intensifying its focus on advanced AI systems, amid growing competition from rivals like Google and Meta.

DePue’s decision follows a brief hiatus from the company, during which he reflected on the rapid advancements in AI. His new team, described as a “high-risk” bet with a “small but significant” chance of achieving ASI, will operate with a tight-knit group of researchers and engineers. The initiative emphasizes high-slope talent—individuals who can rapidly iterate and innovate—highlighting OpenAI’s willingness to gamble on moonshot ideas to stay ahead in the race toward superintelligent systems.

The Ambitious Push Toward Superintelligence

This development aligns with broader shifts at OpenAI, where CEO Sam Altman has publicly outlined plans to prioritize superintelligence in 2025. As detailed in TechRepublic’s coverage of OpenAI’s strategic roadmap, the company is channeling resources into models that could achieve human-level reasoning and beyond, building on successes like GPT-5 Pro and Sora 2. DePue’s team, co-led with collaborators Troy and Eric Luhman, aims to explore unconventional paths that could accelerate progress toward ASI, potentially leapfrogging incremental improvements in current AI architectures.

Industry observers note that DePue’s background makes him uniquely suited for this challenge. Having contributed to Sora’s launch in 2024, which revolutionized video generation by creating hyper-realistic footage from text prompts, he brings expertise in scaling complex AI models. Posts on X from DePue himself underscore his excitement about Sora 2’s recent release, which extends video lengths and enhances coherence, setting a new benchmark for generative AI.

Risks and Rewards in AI’s High-Stakes Gamble

Yet, this pursuit is not without controversy. Critics, including some within the AI ethics community, worry about the safety implications of rushing toward superintelligence. Business Insider’s article quotes DePue emphasizing the “incredibly high-risk” nature of the project, acknowledging that failure is likely but success could redefine humanity’s technological future. OpenAI’s history of bold announcements, such as the rollout of Sora 2 as covered in TechXplore, shows a pattern of pushing boundaries, even as environmental concerns mount over the energy demands of training such models.

For insiders, DePue’s initiative signals OpenAI’s adaptive strategy in a competitive field. With Meta poaching talent like former Sora co-lead Tim Brooks, as reported in Time magazine, retaining innovators like DePue is crucial. His team’s focus on ASI could integrate with OpenAI’s AgentKit and other tools unveiled at DevDay 2025, per Geekflare’s summary of the event, fostering AI agents capable of autonomous decision-making.

Implications for the Broader AI Ecosystem

Looking ahead, this new team could influence how AI research evolves globally. By betting on high-risk ideas, OpenAI is betting against more conservative approaches from competitors. As VentureBeat has noted in discussions of rival strategies, companies like Thinking Machines are challenging scaling laws with emphasis on superhuman learning, potentially pressuring OpenAI to deliver tangible breakthroughs.

Ultimately, DePue’s return underscores the relentless drive in Silicon Valley to achieve the next AI milestone. While the path to ASI remains uncertain, initiatives like this could accelerate innovations that transform industries from healthcare to entertainment, provided the risks are managed responsibly. As OpenAI continues to evolve, watchers will be keenly observing whether this high-stakes team delivers on its audacious promise.