OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reportedly working to launch a new brain-to-computer interface company, Merge Labs, with early funding discussions involving OpenAI’s ventures team, according to unnamed sources cited by the Financial Times.
The startup could be valued at approximately $850 million, though talks are said to be in the early stages and OpenAI has not yet committed to participating, meaning deal terms may still change.
Collaboration with Tools for Humanity
Merge Labs is also said to be working with Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity — Altman’s eye-scanning digital ID initiative designed to “verify humanness.” The partnership could suggest a broader vision for integrating identity verification into future brain-computer interface applications.
If launched, Merge Labs would directly compete with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which develops implantable computer interface chips for the human brain. Neuralink’s goal is to help people with severe paralysis control devices using their thoughts.
Founded in 2016, Neuralink has made notable progress, including ongoing human trials. In June, it raised $600 million in a Series E round, achieving a $9 billion valuation.
The Vision of “The Merge”
The project aligns with Altman’s long-standing interest in “the singularity” — a point where human intelligence and technology converge. Altman wrote about “The Merge” in 2017, predicting that humans would become the first species to design their own descendants.
Musk and Altman were once collaborators at OpenAI before Musk’s 2018 departure, but their relationship has since soured. Just this week, the two exchanged sharp words on X, with Altman accusing Musk of manipulating the platform and Musk calling Altman a liar.
Merge Labs has yet to be formally announced, and its funding details remain uncertain. However, given the competitive history between Altman and Musk, the new company could be positioned as a direct challenge to Neuralink in shaping humanity’s technological future.
What The Author Thinks
The creation of Merge Labs feels less like a coincidence and more like a strategic counterpunch to Musk’s Neuralink. While both companies aim to push humanity toward brain-computer integration, the rivalry between these two tech giants is almost as big a headline as the technology itself. If Merge Labs truly takes off, the race might be driven as much by personal competition as by the desire to advance human potential.
Featured image credit: Heute
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