Recursive Superintelligence, an AI startup focused on self-improving systems, has announced a $410 million multi-year compute deal with Amazon Web Services. The agreement provides the flexibility needed to scale up its research, which prioritises "self-improving" AI systems that automatically improve their own capabilities, an approach the company believes requires heavy computing resources rather than a large workforce.

The deal accounts for most of the $650 million the company has raised since emerging from stealth in May, though its founder, Richard Socher, expects it to be the first of many larger compute agreements in the coming years. Unlike arrangements some AI labs strike with cloud providers, this deal involves no investment from Amazon, but AWS says it will co-develop infrastructure tailored to companies pursuing this kind of research. Socher said Recursive intends to release its first tangible products by October, arguing that self-improving systems can accelerate development timelines from years to months.