Sam Altman's Latest Startup Merge Labs Enters High-Stakes Brain-Computer Interface Market
In a move that has sent ripples through the tech community, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has added another startup to his portfolio: Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface (BCI) venture that boasts $252 million in seed funding. The company's ambitious goal is to harness the potential of BCI technology to merge human brains with AI systems, with Altman himself touting this vision as "the merge," which he believes has already begun.
Merge Labs was spun out from Forest Neurotech, a California-based non-profit that Altman co-founded alongside Tyson Aflalo and Sumner Norman. The new venture boasts a diverse team of experts in fields ranging from computational neuroscience to machine learning research, with 19 open positions currently available.
According to the company, Merge aims to develop BCI technologies that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI systems, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use. Unlike its rival Neuralink, which relies on invasive surgery to implant devices into patients' brains, Merge is focusing on developing non-invasive approaches using molecules, ultrasound, and other modalities.
The company's valuation remains undisclosed, but initial investors include OpenAI, Bain Capital, and video game developer Gabe Newell. While the BCI space has become increasingly crowded in recent months – with Synchron and Neuralink vying for dominance – Merge Labs' emphasis on non-invasive approaches and its integration with advanced AI systems could help it carve out a unique niche.
As Altman himself noted in a 2017 blog post, "the merge" between humans and machines has already begun. With OpenAI backing Merge's efforts and collaborating on projects such as scientific foundation models, the stage is set for this ambitious startup to make its mark on the world of BCI technology.
In a move that has sent ripples through the tech community, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has added another startup to his portfolio: Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface (BCI) venture that boasts $252 million in seed funding. The company's ambitious goal is to harness the potential of BCI technology to merge human brains with AI systems, with Altman himself touting this vision as "the merge," which he believes has already begun.
Merge Labs was spun out from Forest Neurotech, a California-based non-profit that Altman co-founded alongside Tyson Aflalo and Sumner Norman. The new venture boasts a diverse team of experts in fields ranging from computational neuroscience to machine learning research, with 19 open positions currently available.
According to the company, Merge aims to develop BCI technologies that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI systems, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use. Unlike its rival Neuralink, which relies on invasive surgery to implant devices into patients' brains, Merge is focusing on developing non-invasive approaches using molecules, ultrasound, and other modalities.
The company's valuation remains undisclosed, but initial investors include OpenAI, Bain Capital, and video game developer Gabe Newell. While the BCI space has become increasingly crowded in recent months – with Synchron and Neuralink vying for dominance – Merge Labs' emphasis on non-invasive approaches and its integration with advanced AI systems could help it carve out a unique niche.
As Altman himself noted in a 2017 blog post, "the merge" between humans and machines has already begun. With OpenAI backing Merge's efforts and collaborating on projects such as scientific foundation models, the stage is set for this ambitious startup to make its mark on the world of BCI technology.
I'm literally super hyped about Sam Altman's new venture Merge Labs bc i think they're onto something huge with brain-computer interfaces... like can u imagine having a direct link between ur brain and a computer lol it sounds like sci-fi but idk maybe its the future? 
i've been following OpenAI for years and im a HUGE fan of Sam Altman he's literally changed my life with his AI models and stuff, so i'm not surprised he'd invest in something like Merge Labs. but what i really wanna know is how's it gonna change ur life when u can literally think things into existence thru tech? 
idk maybe its just me but thats kinda freaky.
But at the same time, what are they really trying to achieve here? Are we just gonna be able to play video games with our minds and control robots? 
i'm not sure if i want my thoughts to be controlled by a computer system even tho sam altman says it's already begun 
merge labs is like playing catch-up in the bcil space though, neuralink has been working on this for years and they've already got some weird surgery tech going on 
synchron is another rival that's trying to make non-invasive approaches but merge's focus on ai integration is interesting i guess. will have to wait and see if it all pans out 
i think its cool that Sam Altman is pushing for non-invasive approaches tho - invasive surgery sounds crazy 
. also its wild to think about mergeing human brains with AI systems... does that mean im gonna have an upgrade to my phone or something 
meanwhile the real world probs still needs solving first 
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams 
. We can't control all the events that will occur but we can believe and definitely work hard to make our dreams a reality 
.
! I was watching videos of brain-computer interfaces online and I'm like totally fascinated by them 
. can they really control robots with their minds? and what would happen if you did that in real life, like in a movie or something 
. Merge Labs sounds like a super interesting company, but I don't know much about BCI tech yet... is it like, a special kind of headset that reads your brain signals or something 
. And with OpenAI backing them up, I'm curious to see what kind of progress they'll make 
I guess only time will tell...