Sam Altman's OpenAI to Challenge Elon Musk's Neuralink with New Venture
Word on the street is that Sam Altman, the big cheese over at OpenAI, is reportedly getting into the brain-computer interface (BCI) game. I'm not talking about just dabbling; he's allegedly co-founding a new company called Merge Labs, and it's aimed squarely at competing with Elon Musk's Neuralink. This is going to be interesting, to say the least.
Merge Labs plans to leverage AI to develop its BCI technology. The name itself, "Merge Labs," apparently comes from a term Altman coined back in 2017, "the merge," which refers to the convergence of human brains and computers. It sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, right? If you ask me, this is a very interesting goal, and a very ambitious project.
Reportedly, the company is looking to raise funds primarily from OpenAI's ventures arm, potentially valuing it at a whopping $850 million. Interestingly, Altman himself won't be putting any of his own cash into the venture, according to sources. He'll be teaming up with Alex Blania, who is also from Worldcoin - yet another of OpenAI's backed projects.
A Long-Standing Interest
Altman's fascination with brain-machine interfaces isn't new. If you think about it, this has been a long time coming. He's been hinting at the possibility of merging human brains with computers for years. While his initial prediction of this happening by 2025 didn't pan out, the recent advancements in technology are fueling his renewed interest. I think that, after all, his predictions weren't that far from reality, and the natural evolution of AI makes it much more easier to implement it.
Of course, this move intensifies the already existing rivalry between Altman and Musk. You may remember Musk left OpenAI's board back in 2018, and since then, there seems to be some friction between the two tech titans. So, if you are like me, get your popcorn ready, because this new project will be a very interesting competition.
While the idea of mind-linking technology isn't exactly new, the recent advancements in implant technology and AI are making it more feasible than ever. Neuralink has already started human trials, with some promising results. For example, one subject was reportedly able to play video games and create 3D designs. So, I believe that if Neuralink's trials have been successful, Altman's Merge Labs can also make it.
Source: Engadget