OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is reportedly backing a new and secretive startup called Merge Labs, which aims to connect the human brain with artificial intelligence without surgery. The company is said to be working on a non-invasive brain–computer interface (BCI) that could read brain signals using ultrasound and magnetic fields.
This project could become a safer alternative to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which uses surgically implanted chips placed directly inside the brain. Unlike Neuralink, Merge Labs is trying to avoid any kind of open-skull surgery.
According to reports, Merge Labs plans to use sound waves and advanced science to understand brain activity. The idea is to allow AI systems to interpret human thoughts without physically inserting devices into the brain.
To build this technology, Altman is reportedly putting together a strong team of experts. One key name linked to the project is Mikhail Shapiro, a well-known biomolecular engineer from Caltech. Shapiro is famous for his work using ultrasound to interact with brain cells and study neural activity without surgery. Another reported team member is Alex Blania, CEO of Tools for Humanity, the company behind Worldcoin.
At Caltech, Shapiro made major scientific progress by showing that ultrasound waves can interact with neurons. He also worked on gene therapy techniques that make cells respond to sound waves. These discoveries could allow brain signals to be read and analyzed without cutting into the skull.
This approach matches Altman’s own views. In the past, he has said he would never want a chip implanted in his brain. He once joked that putting hardware into his head would “kill his neurons.” However, he has also expressed interest in a future where a person could simply think and an AI like ChatGPT would respond.
Merge Labs is reportedly focusing on a “read-only” system, meaning the AI could read brain signals but not change or control a person’s thoughts. The company aims to use ultrasound and magnetic fields to safely collect brain data from outside the body.
The project is still largely secret, but it is already attracting serious investment. According to The Financial Times, Merge Labs is preparing to raise around $250 million (about Rs 2,195 crore) through OpenAI’s investment arm. Altman is expected to be listed as a co-founder, though he may not be involved in daily operations.
While the technology is still in early stages, it raises important questions around ethics, privacy and regulation. Reading brain signals without surgery could be revolutionary, but it also comes with serious responsibility.
If successful, Merge Labs could make it possible for humans to interact with AI simply by thinking no chips, no surgery, just sound waves and advanced science. Neuralink may have started the race to connect brains with machines, but Merge Labs is trying to do it in a safer and more futuristic way.
