Sam Altman Unveils Revolutionary Brain-Computer Interface Startup to Challenge Neuralink

Key Points

1. Sam Altman is reportedly working on a new BCI startup named Merge Labs, which may receive significant funding, including potential backing from OpenAI.

2. Merge Labs could be valued at up to $850 million, indicating strong interest and investment potential in the BCI sector.

3. Elon Musk's Neuralink, founded in 2016, has made progress in BCI technology, including human trials, and recently secured $600 million in funding, valuing the company at $9 billion.

4. OpenAI's potential involvement in Merge Labs adds a strategic dimension, as it could create competition in a field dominated by Musk's Neuralink, despite their contentious relationship.

5. Both Merge Labs and Neuralink aim to explore the concept of 'the singularity,' merging technology with humanity, with Altman having previously written about this vision in 2017.