- Sam Altman is co-founding Merge Labs to rival Neuralink in neural interfaces.
- Merge Labs may integrate brain-computer tech with digital ID innovations.
- The startup could accelerate humanity’s path toward the technological singularity.
Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, is reportedly preparing to launch a new brain-to-computer interface startup named Merge Labs. According to unnamed sources cited by the Financial Times, the company is already in early fundraising stages, with potential capital support coming largely from OpenAI’s ventures team. Merge Labs is expected to be valued at around $850 million, though final terms remain fluid as negotiations continue.
Collaboration with Tools for Humanity
Merge Labs is reportedly collaborating with Alex Blania, who leads Tools for Humanity—Altman’s eye-scanning digital ID project designed to verify human identity online. This partnership suggests that Merge Labs could combine advanced neural interfaces with digital identity verification, potentially positioning the company at the intersection of human-computer interaction and online security.
Rivalry with Neuralink
Merge Labs is set to compete directly with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, a company developing brain-implanted chips that allow individuals with severe paralysis to control devices with their thoughts. Neuralink, founded in 2016, recently raised $600 million in a Series E round at a $9 billion valuation. While Neuralink has made significant progress in human trials, Merge Labs could emerge as a serious challenger in the race to bring brain-computer interfaces to mainstream use.
Toward the Singularity?
Long before AI became a Silicon Valley obsession, the concept of the singularity—merging human and machine intelligence—captured the tech elite’s imagination. Altman blogged about “The Merge” in 2017, envisioning a future where humans design their own descendants. Merge Labs may accelerate that vision, offering technology that changes how humans interact with computers and possibly nudging society closer to the singularity.
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While Merge Labs has not yet been formally announced, Altman’s entry into the brain-computer interface arena signals high-stakes competition with Neuralink. As the singularity concept inches closer from science fiction to reality, Merge Labs could play a pivotal role in shaping the next frontier of human-technology integration.
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