Latest news with #brainchip
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sam Altman's Brain Chip Venture Is Mulling Gene Therapy Approach
(Bloomberg) -- The brain chip company that has drawn interest from Sam Altman and his artificial intelligence business OpenAI is exploring the idea of genetically altering brain cells to make better implants. The US-Canadian Road Safety Gap Is Getting Wider Festivals and Parades Are Canceled Amid US Immigration Anxiety A Photographer's Pipe Dream: Capturing New York's Vast Water System To Head Off Severe Storm Surges, Nova Scotia Invests in 'Living Shorelines' Five Years After Black Lives Matter, Brussels' Colonial Statues Remain The company, which has been referred to as Merge Labs, is looking at an approach involving gene therapy that would modify brain cells, according to people familiar with the plans who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter. In addition, an ultrasound device would be implanted in the head that could detect and modulate activity in the modified cells, these people said. It's one of a handful of ideas and technologies the company has been exploring, they said. The venture is still in early stages and could evolve significantly. 'We have not done that deal yet,' Altman told journalists at a dinner Thursday in San Francisco, referring to a question about a brain-computer interface venture. 'I would like us to.' Altman said he wants to be able to think something and have ChatGPT respond to it. Merge Labs is Altman's latest foray into the brain-computer interface field. He is facing off against his longtime rival, Elon Musk, whose company Neuralink is building brain implants with the short-term goal of treating disease and the long-term ambition of improving human abilities. OpenAI declined to comment. Brain-computer interface companies aim to build devices that connect computers to brains and augment peoples' cognition. Implants are currently enabling paralyzed patients to control electronics and helping people communicate who are unable to talk. Technology billionaires and investors are also optimistic that noninvasive devices worn outside of the head could treat mental health conditions. The Financial Times reported this week that Merge is aiming to raise $250 million at an $850 million valuation. Much of that support will come from OpenAI's ventures team, according to the report. Altman is co-founding the company but not personally investing in it, according to the Financial Times. Altman has also invested in Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain implant startup. Neuralink, along with several other companies, is developing chips that communicate with the brain using electrical signals, not ultrasound. For years, researchers have been studying how to genetically change cells to make them respond to ultrasound, a field called sonogenetics. The idea Merge is considering to combine ultrasound with gene therapy could take years, some of the people said. Ultrasound has attracted significant attention recently as a possible brain therapy. Other companies are exploring the idea of using ultrasound transmitters outside the brain to massage brain tissue, with the goal of treating psychiatric conditions. That kind of technology has shown promise in research studies. Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam's company Nudge, which is aiming to build a helmet that beams low-intensity focused ultrasound into the brain, recently raised $100 million. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is leading a $12 million funding round in a similar company. --With assistance from Shirin Ghaffary. What Declining Cardboard Box Sales Tell Us About the US Economy Americans Are Getting Priced Out of Homeownership at Record Rates Bessent on Tariffs, Deficits and Embracing Trump's Economic Plan Twitter's Ex-CEO Is Moving Past His Elon Musk Drama and Starting an AI Company Dubai's Housing Boom Is Stoking Fears of Another Crash ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Sam Altman's Brain Chip Venture Is Mulling Gene Therapy Approach
The brain chip company that has drawn interest from Sam Altman and his artificial intelligence business OpenAI is exploring the idea of genetically altering brain cells to make better implants. The company, which has been referred to as Merge Labs, is looking at an approach involving gene therapy that would modify brain cells, according to people familiar with the plans who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter. In addition, an ultrasound device would be implanted in the head that could detect and modulate activity in the modified cells, these people said.
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Sam Altman Reportedly Launch Rival Brain-Chip Startup to Compete With Musk's Neuralink
The rivalry between Sam Altman and Elon Musk is about to get weirder. Until now, the two have been fighting over whose company has the most advanced AI models. But soon, they could be battling to prove who makes the best brain chip implants. The Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources, that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is working on co-founding a new brain chip startup called Merge Labs. The company will develop what is known as a brain-computer interface (BCI). BCIs work by implanting tiny electrodes that can read neural signals in or near the brain. The primary goal of these devices is to allow humans to control digital devices with their thoughts. Merge Labs is reportedly raising funds at a valuation of $850 million, with most of the funding expected to come from OpenAI's Startup Fund, according to the Financial Times. Altman will help launch the company alongside Alex Blania, head of World ID, an eyeball-scanning digital ID startup also backed by OpenAI. While Altman will be a co-founder, he is not expected to be involved in its day-to-day operations. The new venture will go head-to-head with Elon Musk's brain chip startup Neuralink. Altman is reportedly betting that AI can give his chips an edge over existing competitors. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Gizmodo. The company's name appears to trace back to a 2017 post on Altman's personal blog. In it, he described 'the merge,' the year when humans and machines would merge into one. At the time, he noted that most predictions for this moment ranged from as early as 2025 to as late as 2075, but he argued it had already started with social media algorithms influencing how people think and feel. 'The merge can take a lot of forms: We could plug electrodes into our brains, or we could all just become really close friends with a chatbot,' Altman wrote. He added, 'Although the merge has already begun, it's going to get a lot weirder. We will be the first species ever to design our own descendants.' This year, in another post, Altman wrote about a 'Gentle Singularity,' suggesting that a breakthrough in 'true high-bandwidth brain-computer interfaces' could be just over the horizon. Musk's Neuralink has a head start. Founded in 2016, it has already received approvals from health regulators in multiple countries to begin clinical trials. The company has implanted chips in at least three patients with spinal cord injuries or ALS. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has even granted the company breakthrough device designations for its tech aimed at helping people with speech and vision impairments. Musk and Altman co-founded OpenAI, but Musk left in 2018 after clashes with Altman ignited a rivalry between the two. Musk has since launched a competing AI startup, xAI, and sued to block OpenAI's efforts to become a for-profit company. Just this week, the two shot barbs back and forth on X over OpenAI's relationship with Apple and its prominent placement in the App Store.
Fox News
01-08-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Woman uses Neuralink to write name with her mind
Audrey Crews hasn't written her name in over 20 years, that is, until now. Thanks to a brain chip from Elon Musk's Neuralink, Crews used only her thoughts to scribble "Audrey" on a laptop screen. She shared the photo on X, stunning millions across the internet and earning a shoutout from Musk himself. At age 16, Crews lost all motor function. Now, at 39, she's part of Neuralink's PRIME Study, which tests brain-computer interface (BCI) technology in humans. Her chip, implanted into her motor cortex, reads brain signals and sends them to a computer. It allows her to move a cursor and type, using only her thoughts. In her own words, "They drilled a hole in my skull and placed 128 threads into my motor cortex. The chip is about the size of a quarter." While the chip doesn't restore movement, it gives her something powerful: digital autonomy. She shared a picture of her signature on X and wrote, "I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it. Lol #Neuralink." She expressed her gratitude toward the medical team at the University of Miami Health Center. "They treated me like a VIP and are some of the sweetest people I've ever met," she added. Musk confirmed her achievement online, writing: "Most people don't realize this is possible." That single quote shook the internet. The post showcasing her scribbled signature quickly went viral, with over 2 million views. Crews clarified that the chip is for "telepathy only," not mobility. But even that level of control can transform the lives of people with paralysis. Neuralink, founded by Musk in 2016, aims to help people with neurological conditions connect with the digital world in powerful new ways. The company is developing BCIs that allow users to control devices using only their thoughts. While still in its early stages, this technology is already showing life-changing potential. Looking ahead, Neuralink envisions a future where thought-controlled computing becomes an everyday part of human life. Crews isn't alone in this journey. Another participant, Nick Wray (P8), shared his progress just days after his own implant activation. "I haven't had this level of digital autonomy in years," he wrote. Diagnosed with ALS, Wray called the implant a life-changing opportunity. He views this moment as both personal and historical, writing, "It's not lost on me that without ALS, I would never have been a candidate for this study. I sincerely believe that if ALS is the price of admission to an opportunity of this magnitude, you pay it; gladly, willingly, and without hesitation." This isn't just about writing a name. It's about what's coming next. Neuralink's brain chip is working in real people. If you're wondering whether brain-computer interfaces could one day let you control your phone, write an email or play a game without touching a screen, that future is inching closer. While still experimental, these breakthroughs are a glimpse into a new kind of human-machine connection. Neuralink is now accepting participants from around the globe. If you're curious about brain-computer interfaces, this could be your chance to help shape the future. You can check it out at Audrey Crews rewrote more than her name. She rewrote the limits of what's possible. With a chip the size of a quarter, she became the first woman to control a computer using pure thought. Her story isn't just inspiring, it's a warning to the tech world: the age of mind-powered machines is arriving faster than expected. Would you volunteer to be part of a brain-computer trial like Audrey and Nick? Or do you think it is too early to trust this technology? Let us know by writing to us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Daily Mail
01-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk's brain chips to be tested on Britons in new clinical trial
British patients are set to receive Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chips as part of the first UK clinical trial. Neuralink is partnering with University College London Hospitals Trust and Newcastle Hospitals for the project, the company said in an announcement. Seven participants who cannot walk will be fitted with an implant about the size of a 10p coin, allowing them to control a smartphone with their mind. Those living with paralysis due to conditions such as spinal cord injuries and a nervous system disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis qualify for the study, the company revealed in a post on X. This comes after a paralysed woman in the US revealed the shocking effect the brain implant has already had on her life. Audrey Crews, who has been paralysed since she was 16, became one of five people in the US who have already been implanted with the brain chip. Speaking on X, Ms Crews revealed how she was now able to write her signature for the first time since losing the use of her legs and arms in a car accident. Ms Crews said: 'I tried writing my name for the first time in 20 years. I'm working on it.' Neuralink's N1 Chip, known as a brain-computer-interface (BCI), is a small implant which links the human brain to a computer through 128 threads thinner than a human hair. Each thread contains eight electrodes, which are inserted into the surface of the brain to read spikes in electrical activity. Those signals are recorded and sent to a computer, which converts them into commands for common devices such as moving a cursor or clicking. According to Neuralink, the chip can 'restore digital autonomy to individuals with severe paralysis by enabling them to control devices with their thoughts'. Participants in the UK trial will have their implants implanted by a surgeon while a robot implants the tiny threads. Professor Harith Akram, a consultant neurosurgeon at University College London and chief investigator for the study, said the trial 'represents a major milestone in the development of brain-computer interface technology, with the potential to transform the lives of people living with severe neurological disorders worldwide.' After resolving safety concerns flagged by the US Food and Drug Administration, Neuralink began US clinical trials in 2023. Noland Arbaugh, 30, a quadriplegic from Arizona, became the first person to receive the Neuralink brain chip. The implant allowed Mr Arbaugh to write, play chess, and even enjoy complicated video games. Although many of the electrodes became disconnected from Mr Arbaugh's brain, Neuralink enabled him to maintain control by improving the software that reads brain signals. Similarly, Ms Crews has shared how receiving the brain implant has restored a level of autonomy she had long considered lost. At the age of 16, Ms Crews was severely injured in a car accident, which damaged the C4 and C5 vertebrae in her neck, leaving her a quadriplegic with no feeling in her arms and legs. However, after being implanted with the N1 chip in July, Ms Crews has shared her renewed ability to use a computer. In her posts on X following the surgery, Crews revealed how she has been able to draw pictures, write words, scroll with a mouse, and use a keyboard all through the power of her mind. Responding to the positive feedback she's received on social media, Crews said she felt liberated, and she's even started taking requests on what to draw next as the pictures act as practice for her while using the implant. 'Imagine your pointer finger is left click and the cursor [movement] is with your wrist, without physically doing it. Just a normal day using telepathy,' she explained while showing off her latest drawings. Mr Musk also replied to a post about Crews' story, saying: 'She is controlling her computer just by thinking. Most people don't realize this is possible.' The first female Neuralink patient noted that the BCI won't give her the ability to walk again or regain any movement in her limbs, but she is hoping this breakthrough will allow her to write a book about her journey. 'I've been a quadriplegic since the age of 16, so I have lots to tell,' Crews explained. Mr Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, co-founded Neuralink in 2016 with a group of neuroscience, engineering, and robotics experts. Their goal was to merge human intelligence with artificial intelligence, treat brain disorders and potentially enhance human capabilities.
