就在你以为循环交易不能变得更加循环的时候，OpenAI投资了首席执行官山姆·奥特曼的脑机接口初创 公司Merge Labs。 Merge Labs将自己定义为一个致力于"连接生物和人工智能以最大化人类能力"的"研究实验室"，该公司 于周四结束隐身模式，完成了一轮未披露金额的种子轮融资。据知情人士证实，在Merge Labs的2.5亿 美元种子轮融资中，OpenAI开出了最大的单张支票，公司估值为8.5亿美元。 Merge Labs在一份声明中表示："我们对世界的个体体验源于数十亿活跃神经元。如果我们能够大规模 地与这些神经元建立接口，我们就能恢复失去的能力，支持更健康的大脑状态，加深我们彼此之间的联 系，并扩展我们与先进AI一起想象和创造的能力。" Merge Labs表示，它打算通过开发"使用分子而非电极与神经元连接的全新技术"来非侵入性地实现这些 目标，"使用超声波等深度渗透模式来传输和接收信息"。 此举加深了奥特曼与埃隆·马斯克的竞争，后者的初创公司Neuralink也在开发计算机接口芯片，允许严 重瘫痪的患者用思想控制设备。Neuralink目前需要侵入性手术进行植入，手术机器人会移除一小块头 骨，并 ...

Core Viewpoint - OpenAI's co-founder Sam Altman is planning to invest in a brain-computer interface company called Merge Labs, which is seen as a direct competition to Elon Musk's Neuralink [1][9]. Group 1: Company Overview - Merge Labs is co-founded by Sam Altman and physicist Alex Blania, with a valuation of $850 million and an initial funding round of $250 million [3]. - The company aims to explore the integration of humans and machines, a concept Altman has been advocating since 2017 [3]. - Merge Labs may focus on cognitive enhancement and human-AI symbiosis rather than direct medical applications, differentiating itself from Neuralink's primary focus on treating medical conditions [11]. Group 2: Background of Co-founders - Alex Blania has a background in physics and industrial engineering and co-founded Tools for Humanity with Altman, focusing on digital identity and blockchain [4]. - Tools for Humanity's key project, WorldCoin, aims to create a unique digital identity through biometric verification [6]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Neuralink, founded in 2016, has made significant progress in brain-computer interface technology, with a valuation exceeding $10 billion after raising $650 million in June [10]. - Altman and Musk have engaged in public disputes, indicating a competitive rivalry between their respective companies [8][9].

Core Viewpoint - OpenAI's co-founder Sam Altman is planning to invest in a new brain-computer interface company, Merge Labs, which is seen as a direct competitor to Elon Musk's Neuralink [1][6]. Group 1: Company Overview - Merge Labs is co-founded by Sam Altman and physicist Alex Blania, with a valuation of $850 million and an initial funding round of $250 million, primarily from OpenAI's venture capital arm [2]. - The company aims to explore the integration of human and machine through brain-computer interfaces, a concept Altman has advocated since 2017 [2][3]. Group 2: Background of Founders - Alex Blania, co-founder of Merge Labs, has a background in physics and industrial engineering and previously co-founded Tools for Humanity, focusing on digital identity and blockchain [3]. - Tools for Humanity has developed WorldCoin, which includes a biometric device called "Orb" for unique human identity verification [5]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Neuralink, founded in 2016, has made significant advancements in brain-computer interface technology, with a valuation exceeding $10 billion after raising $650 million in June [7]. - While Neuralink focuses on medical applications, Merge Labs is positioned to address broader cognitive enhancement and human-AI symbiosis, differentiating its approach from Neuralink's medical focus [7][8]. Group 4: Strategic Implications - Merge Labs may integrate WorldCoin's digital verification with brain-computer interface technology to tackle fundamental issues related to identity, privacy, and economic sustainability in the AI era [8].

Group 1 - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is preparing to co-found a brain-computer interface company named Merge Labs to compete with Elon Musk's Neuralink [1][2] - Merge Labs aims for a target valuation of approximately $850 million and is currently in talks to raise $250 million [2] - The focus of Merge Labs is on developing high-bandwidth brain-computer interfaces for seamless communication between human thoughts and digital systems [2] Group 2 - Although Altman will not hold an operational role in Merge Labs, his involvement highlights his long-standing fascination with the integration of humans and machines [2] - Neuralink, founded by Musk in 2016, has reached a valuation of $9 billion, indicating a significant competitive landscape between the two companies [2] - The establishment of Merge Labs is expected to add a new chapter to the competition between Altman and Musk [2]