Technology entrepreneur Sam Altman envisions creating a humanoid robot, dubbed Machine Man.
Merge Labs: A New Player in the Race for Brain-Computer Interface Technology
Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface startup co-founded by Sam Altman, is making waves in the tech industry, aiming to compete with Elon Musk's Neuralink. The company is currently in the early stages of fundraising and development, with a valuation near $850 million and plans to raise an additional $250 million[1][2].
The startup is backed by Sam Altman and OpenAI interests, though OpenAI has not yet formally committed to the funding[1][2]. Merge Labs' team includes Alex Blania, known for Tools for Humanity, a company that utilizes eye-scanning biometric digital identity technology[2].
Merge Labs is focusing on creating high-bandwidth brain-computer interfaces with less invasive implants than Neuralink’s, aiming to extend applications beyond medical uses into broader human-AI integration[2]. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, will not have a day-to-day operational role nor is he expected to invest his own money directly, but he is supportive and involved in the initiative[2].
Neuralink, currently the market leader in brain-chip implant technology, is valued at $9 billion after recent funding and is ahead in clinical trials involving patients with severe paralysis[1][2]. Merge Labs is positioning itself as a potential rival with a distinct approach focusing on less invasive technology and broader integration.
The idea of merging humans and machines can be traced back to the 1960s when German researcher Eberhard Fetz connected monkey brains to a regulator using electrodes[3]. More recently, in 2004, neuroscientist John Donoghue developed the first brain implant and implanted it in a paralyzed man[4].
Transhumanists, including tech futurist Ray Kurzweil, see the fusion of humans and machines as the key to digital immortality. Kurzweil predicted that people would be able to store their brains on computer chips by 2045[1]. Sam Altman predicts that the merge of human thought with artificial intelligence could be possible as early as 2035[1].
Altman had previously invested in Neuralink in 2021, but Neuralink's plans to perform around 20,000 surgeries annually by 2031 and generate $1 billion in revenue from brain implant sales by the same year[1] indicate that Merge Labs faces a formidable competitor.
Alex Blania, the co-founder of Merge Labs, is also known for World, a company that develops devices for internet identification and financial networks[1]. Merge Labs' goal is to leverage advances in AI to improve brain-to-computer connectivity, possibly marking a significant step toward what Altman has called “the merge” of humans and machines[1][2].
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, the idea of fusing humans and machines is now within closer reach than ever. Merge Labs, with its focus on less invasive technology and broader integration, is poised to make its mark in this exciting field.
References: [1] https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/21/22981522/sam-altman-merge-labs-brain-computer-interface-startup-neuralink-rival [2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-22/openai-s-sam-altman-launches-merge-labs-to-merge-humans-and-machines [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1461808/ [4] https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/26/science/a-paralyzed-man-s-brain-controls-a-computer-for-the-first-time.html [5] https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleevee/2022/03/23/sam-altman-predicts-human-ai-merge-by-2035/ [6] https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-implant-company-valued-at-9-billion/ [7] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/23/brain-implant-ray-kurzweil-digital-immortality [8] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/neuralink-valued-at-9-billion-after-raising-650-million-in-funding.html
- As Merge Labs delves into the realm of brain-computer interfaces, it is leaning on advancements in artificial intelligence to enhance brain-to-computer connectivity, demonstrating a blend of cutting-edge science and health-and-wellness technologies.
- In an attempt to differentiate itself from Neuralink, Merge Labs is prioritizing less invasive technology, which could have significant implications for various health-and-wellness therapies and treatments.
- With the escalating integration of technology and artificial intelligence in the health-and-wellness sector, including brain-computer interfaces, the emergence of new players like Merge Labs can be seen as a testament to the growing potential of artificial intelligence in science and medicine.
