Investing in Merge Labs

Investing in Merge Labs | OpenAI

January 15, 2026

Global Affairs

Investing in Merge Labs

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Progress in interfaces enables progress in computing. Each time people gain a more direct way to express intent, technology becomes more powerful and more useful.

Brain computer interfaces (BCIs) are an important new frontier. They open new ways to communicate, learn, and interact with technology. BCIs will create a natural, human-centered way for anyone to seamlessly interact with AI. This is why OpenAI is participating in Merge Labs’ seed round.

Merge Labs is a research lab with the long-term mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency, and experience. It is developing fundamentally new approaches⁠ to BCIs that are safe and interface with the brain at much higher bandwidth by combining biology, devices, and AI.

AI will play a central role to Merge’s approach. It will accelerate research and development including bioengineering, neuroscience and device engineering. In addition, high-bandwidth interfaces will benefit from AI operating systems that can interpret intent, adapt to individuals, and operate reliably with limited and noisy signals. OpenAI will collaborate with Merge Labs on scientific foundation models and other frontier tools to accelerate progress.

We are excited to support and collaborate with Merge Labs as they turn an ambitious idea into reality and ultimately products that are useful for people.

Merge Labs’ co-founders include researchers Mikhail Shapiro, Tyson Aflalo, and Sumner Norman, who have pioneered entirely new approaches to BCI. They are complemented by technology entrepreneurs Alex Blania, Sandro Herbig and Sam Altman in a personal capacity.

If you are excited by their mission, you can reach out here⁠.

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