AI research organization OpenAI disclosed a seed-stage investment in Merge Labs, a brain–computer interface startup that recently exited stealth mode alongside a $252 million funding round, with OpenAI becoming the company’s largest investor. Merge Labs was co-founded by Sam Altman, who is involved in the venture in a personal capacity.
In a statement outlining its rationale, OpenAI said advances in human–computer interfaces have historically driven broader progress in computing, noting that more direct methods for expressing human intent tend to make technology more capable and more broadly useful.
Brain–computer interfaces, the organization said, represent an important emerging area, with the potential to introduce new forms of communication, learning, and interaction with digital systems.
According to OpenAI, BCIs could enable more natural, human-centered ways for individuals to engage with AI, which underpins its decision to participate in Merge Labs’ seed round.
Merge Labs describes itself as a research-focused organization with a long-term objective of connecting biological and AI in order to enhance human capability, autonomy, and experience.
Merge Labs’ founding team includes researchers Mikhail Shapiro, Tyson Aflalo, and Sumner Norman, who are credited with developing novel approaches to brain–computer interface technology. They are joined by technology entrepreneurs Alex Blania and Sandro Herbig, along with Sam Altman, contributing outside of his role at OpenAI.
The company is working on new approaches to brain–computer interfaces that prioritize safety while enabling substantially higher data bandwidth between the brain and machines.
Its methodology combines advances in biology, hardware devices, and artificial intelligence to create interfaces that differ from existing BCI designs.
AI is positioned as a core component of Merge Labs’ strategy. The company plans to use AI to accelerate research and development across areas such as bioengineering, neuroscience, and device engineering. It also sees AI-powered operating systems as critical for managing high-bandwidth neural interfaces, particularly those that must function reliably with limited or noisy biological signals.
These systems are intended to interpret user intent, adapt to individual differences, and maintain stable performance over time. As part of the investment, OpenAI said it will work with Merge Labs on scientific foundation models and other advanced tools to support research progress.
OpenAI’s investment in Merge Labs marks another chapter in the ongoing cycle of high-profile tech dealmaking, though this one carries a more personal dimension for Sam Altman, who is co-founding the startup outside of his role at OpenAI.
Beyond the financial implications, the move signals Altman’s entry into the competitive brain–computer interface (BCI) space, an area that intersects with the interests of other tech leaders, including Elon Musk.
By stepping into this emerging sector, he is positioning himself at the forefront of a high-stakes technological frontier, potentially setting the stage for new rivalries and intensified attention on the evolving landscape of neurotechnology.
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