Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, is co-founding Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface (BCI) startup that will compete directly with Elon Musk’s Neuralink. The company is seeking $250 million at an $850 million valuation, with much of the funding expected to come from OpenAI’s ventures team.
Here’s the interesting part: Altman won’t be involved in day-to-day operations, won’t invest his own money, and will hand operational control to Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity (the company behind Worldcoin).
The Vision Behind the Name#
The name “Merge Labs” isn’t random. Back in 2017, Altman wrote a blog post titled “The Merge,” speculating about the convergence of humans and machines—predicting it could happen as early as 2025. Eight years later, he’s putting that vision into action.
Brain-computer interfaces promise to revolutionize how humans interact with technology, from restoring movement to paralyzed patients to enabling direct brain-to-device communication. Neuralink has already raised $650 million at a $9 billion valuation and is conducting human trials. Now Altman is betting Merge Labs can carve out its own space in this emerging market.
The Strategic Questions#
But here’s what makes this launch worth examining: Altman is spreading himself across multiple ventures—running OpenAI, advising on AI policy, and now co-founding a BCI startup. The hands-off approach suggests this is more about strategic positioning than operational commitment.
OpenAI’s ventures team funding the majority of the investment also blurs some lines. Is this an independent company, or an extension of OpenAI’s ecosystem? The connection makes sense if you view BCIs as the ultimate interface for AI—but it also raises questions about where Altman’s focus really lies.
Merge Labs enters a competitive field with serious technical challenges and ethical complexities. The real test won’t be securing funding or generating headlines—it will be whether a company run by someone who won’t be there day-to-day can compete with Neuralink’s head start and focused leadership.
Learn more: Read about Sam Altman’s 2017 “The Merge” vision that inspired the company.