Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is expected to clash with his 'rival' Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, in the field of neuroscience technology.
Financial Times (FT) reported on the 12th, citing sources, that OpenAI is preparing to invest in startups that will compete with Musk's neuroscience startup Neuralink. FT noted, "The competition between the two billionaires is expected to intensify."
The corporation that OpenAI is looking to invest in is Merge Labs, which is estimated to have a corporate value of $850 million (approximately 1.177 trillion won). Merge Labs is trying to attract new investments worth $250 million, most of which is expected to come from OpenAI's venture team.
Neuralink, founded by Musk in 2016, is developing brain-computer interface (BCI) technology that decodes brain signals by implanting computer chips in the human brain.
Merge Labs, which OpenAI plans to invest in, aims to create more useful BCIs using cutting-edge AI technology. The company's name is derived from the term 'merge,' which is popular among Silicon Valley developers and signifies the moment when humans and machines merge into one.
According to sources, Alex Blania, who operates the eye scan digital ID project 'World,' co-founded by Altman, is expected to support the launch of Merge Labs. However, Altman is not expected to participate in the management of Merge Labs.
If Merge Labs receives investment from OpenAI, it will compete with Neuralink.
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but stepped down from the board in 2018, subsequently closely monitoring OpenAI. In July 2023, he established the AI company xAI. Musk has since filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman, claiming that they have abandoned the founding goal of developing AI for the benefit of all humanity.