OpenAI lake resources in Neuralink, rival startup venture
New Venture Merge Labs Aims to Revolutionize Brain-Computer Interfaces
A new company, Merge Labs, co-founded by Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI) and Alex Blania (CEO of World, an eye-scanning biometrics company), is set to challenge the dominance of Neuralink in the field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). The company is seeking $250 million in funding at an $850 million valuation, with a significant portion of the capital expected from OpenAI’s ventures team [1][2][3][4][5].
Unlike Neuralink, which focuses on surgically implanted neural chips, Merge Labs is focusing on less invasive BCIs that do not require major surgery. The company aims to leverage advanced artificial intelligence to connect human brains directly with computers, with the ultimate goal of enhancing human-AI integration beyond medical applications [2][4].
Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk in 2016, has made significant strides in the field of BCIs. The company has developed a surgically implanted brain-computer interface that has been tested in human trials, allowing severely paralyzed patients to control devices with their thoughts [1][3][4]. Some users have reportedly performed complex tasks like playing video games using the implant. Neuralink has a valuation of around $9 billion [1][3][4].
To summarize, Merge Labs and Neuralink differ in several key aspects:
| Feature/Aspect | Merge Labs | Neuralink | |-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Founders | Sam Altman (OpenAI CEO), Alex Blania (World) | Elon Musk | | Funding / Valuation | Seeking $250M at $850M valuation | ~$650M raised recently; ~$9B valuation | | Technology focus | Brain-computer interfaces using AI, less invasive implants | Surgically implanted neural chips | | Invasiveness | Less invasive, non-major surgery implants | Requires brain surgery | | Goals | Connect brains and computers; enhance human-AI integration beyond medical use | Help paralyzed patients control devices via thought | | Current stage | Early-stage, fundraising | Mid-stage, human trials underway |
In January 2024, Neuralink made headlines when it implanted the first Telepathy chip in a person paralyzed below the neck [6]. Elon Musk reportedly controlled a computer mouse cursor using thoughts, a month after the first Telepathy chip implantation [7]. Aside from the Telepathy chip, Neuralink has neurochips for improving vision and reducing symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, but they are not yet tested [8].
Meanwhile, Merge Labs is still in the early stages of development, with the company currently in the process of fundraising. By 2031, Neuralink plans to implant 20,000 neurochips annually in needy clients [9].
Sources:
- The Information
- Bloomberg
- TechCrunch
- The Verge
- CNBC
- CNN
- Wired
- Neuralink
- Neuralink
Merge Labs, unlike Neuralink, plans to leverage advanced artificial intelligence for connecting human brains directly with computers, working towards enhanced human-AI integration beyond medical applications. The company's technology focus is on brain-computer interfaces using AI, prioritizing less invasive implants compared to Neuralink's surgically implanted neural chips.
