Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is in early-stage talks to co-found Merge Labs, a brain-to-computer interface startup expected to be valued at around $850 million, according to the Financial Times. Funding may come in part from OpenAI Ventures, though sources say no commitment has been made.
Merge Labs is said to be collaborating with Alex Blania of Tools for Humanity, Altman’s digital ID venture, and will compete with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which is developing implantable chips for people with severe paralysis. Neuralink recently raised $600 million at a $9 billion valuation.
Altman has long discussed the concept of “The Merge” — the integration of human and machine intelligence — and this venture could position him as a direct challenger to Musk in advancing brain–computer technologies.
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