What is Merge Labs? OpenAI invests in Sam Altman-backed BCI startup taking on Neuralink

OpenAI has proclaimed that it is investment in Sam Altman's brainpower data processor user interface (BCI) startup Merge Labs. The company did not discolse the amount it had invested as part of the seed round in Merge Labs but stated that it was excited to collaborate with the company to ‘an ambitious idea into reality and ultimately products that are useful for people.’

As per a TechCrunch report, the ChatGPT maker was one of the biggest backers in Merge Labs' $250 million seed round with a valuation of $850 million. Meanwhile, a report by Wired stated that other Merge Labs backers also included private investment firm Bain Capital and video game developer Gabe Newell,

What is Merge Labs?

Merge Labs calls itself a ‘research lab’ with the long term mission to bridge biological and artificial intelligence for maximizing human ability, agency and experience. The company's co-founders include Mikhail Shapiro, Tyson Aflalo, and Sumner Norman while enterpreneuers Alex Blania, Sandro Herbig and Sam Altman have also joined in a personal capacity.

The company says it is pursuing its goal by developing ‘fundamentally new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use.’

The startup also notes that its ultimate measure of success will be creating real products which people love and will be intially used to help patients with injury or disease and later to ‘more broadly advance human capability’.

Merge Labs is likely to only deepen the rivalrly between Elon Musk and Altman, the former's startup Neuralink also develops computer interface chips which allow people suffering from paralysis to control computers, phones, and robotic arms with their thoughts.

However, unlike Neuralink which requires a surgery to implant the coin sized chip inside the brain of the patient, Merge Labs is developing more non-invasive methods like ultrasound in order to avoid implants. Merge Labs says it is developing entirely new technologies that connect neurons using molecules instead of electrodes to make this a reality.

“We envision future BCIs that are equal parts biology, device, and AI in a form factor that we ourselves want to use and is broadly accessible. Fully realizing this vision demands that we think in decades rather than years, tackle very hard problems across disciplines, and be proactive in ensuring that the resulting technology is safe, privacy preserving, accessible, and beneficial to users and society” Merge Labs said in its blog

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