Sam Altman is co-founding a new brain-to-computer interface startup called Merge Labs and is raising funds, potentially with significant investment from OpenAI’s ventures team, according to unnamed sources speaking to the Financial Times. The startup’s valuation is expected to be $850 million, though a source tells TechCrunch that talks are in the early stages and OpenAI has not committed yet, so terms may change.
Merge Labs is reportedly collaborating with Alex Blania from Tools for Humanity, formerly known as World, Altman’s digital ID project using eye-scanning to verify human identity.
Merge Labs will compete with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which develops brain-implantable computer interface chips. Founded by Musk in 2016, Neuralink publicly emerged in 2017 and has made significant advancements.
Neuralink is currently conducting trials with people suffering from severe paralysis, aiming for device control through thoughts. It raised $600 million in a Series E funding round at a $9 billion valuation in June.
Neuralink, and potentially Merge Labs, could transform human-technology interaction, steering humanity towards “the singularity.” Before Silicon Valley’s AI focus, the concept of “the singularity” intrigued many, defined by technology merging with humans. Musk has described it as AI surpassing human intelligence, a notion embedded in a 1960s novella by Dino Buzzati.
Altman wrote about the concept of “The Merge” in 2017, predicting a future where humans design their own descendants, influenced by his experience at OpenAI where Musk was a co-founder.
While Musk left OpenAI in 2018, his and Altman’s relationship has deteriorated. Recently, they clashed on X, with Altman accusing Musk of manipulating the platform and Musk calling Altman a liar.
Whether and when Merge Labs will be officially announced remains uncertain. However, Altman appears keen to rival Musk’s work on the singularity.
OpenAI declined to comment.