Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk by backing competitor Neuralink
Sam Altman has co-founded a new brain-computer interface startup, Merge Labs, and is raising money, likely mostly from OpenAI's venture capital arm.
Sam Altman has co-founded a new brain-computer interface startup, Merge Labs, and is raising money, likely mostly from OpenAI's venture capital arm.
This is reported by the Financial Times, citing its own sources.
The startup is expected to be valued at $850 million. A source familiar with the details of the deal told TechCrunch that negotiations are still in the early stages and OpenAI has not yet committed to participating, so terms could change.
Merge Labs is also working with Alex Blania, who runs Tools for Humanity (formerly World), sources say. That’s Altman’s eye-scanning digital identification project, which the company says “allows anyone to prove their humanity.”
Merge Labs will compete with Elon Musk's Neuralink, which is developing computer interface chips designed to be implanted in the brain. Musk founded Neuralink in 2016 (although its existence was only known in 2017), and the company has made significant progress.
In June, Neuralink raised $650 million in funding , which will help the company make the technology accessible to more people. For example, this month, Neuralink began testing brain implants in the UK .
Meta researchers are developing a bracelet that allows people to control a computer using gestures
Meta researchers are developing a bracelet that allows people to control a computer using gestures
"Just a normal day using telepathy." First Neuralink patient can write her name for the first time in 20 years thanks to brain chip
"Just a normal day using telepathy." First Neuralink patient can write her name for the first time in 20 years thanks to brain chip
Valve boss Gabe Newell, who is developing a brain implant startup, will release his first neurochip, Starfish, this year. They promise that it will be better than Elon Musk's Neuralink
Valve boss Gabe Newell, who is developing a brain implant startup, will release his first neurochip, Starfish, this year. They promise that it will be better than Elon Musk's Neuralink
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