In a strategic move, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reportedly planning to invest in a brain implant startup, called Merge Labs, aiming to outdo Elon Musk’s Neuralink.
Merge Labs plans to merge machines and humans together via artificial intelligence (AI). The company is currently securing investment at a $850 million valuation, as reported by Financial Times.
The company is reportedly raising $250 million in total investment, and OpenAI’s ventures team is likely to supply much of the latest capital.
The report further suggested that Altman is planning to co-found the company alongside Alex Blania, the cofounder and CEO of World, an OpenAI-backed startup.
The startup would intensify the ongoing battle between both the billionaires, as it is directly competing with Musk's Neuralink.
Neuralink plans to establish a connection between human brains and computers via its cutting-edge brain chip implants.
In July, Musk informed investors that he aims to implant 20,000 individuals every year with Neuralink chips by 2031.
For those unaware, both tech billionaire entrepreneurs, Musk and Altman, are locked in a heated rivalry in the race to dominate the entire AI landscape.
