OpenAI and its co-founder Sam Altman are set to back a start-up that aims to connect human brains and computers, competing directly with Elon Musk’s Neuralink and escalating the bitter rivalry between the two billionaire tech entrepreneurs.The new venture, called Merge Labs, is raising funds at a $850mn valuation, with much of the new capital expected to come from OpenAI’s ventures team, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans.Altman has encouraged the investment and will help launch the project alongside Alex Blania, who runs World, an eyeball-scanning digital ID project also backed by the OpenAI chief, said two of the people. Altman will co-found the company but not have a day-to-day role in the project, nor will he personally invest in it, they added.
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