According to Techmeme, Sam Altman has hired Mikhail Shapiro, an award-winning biomolecular engineer, to join his Neuralink competitor Merge Labs. The hire suggests Merge will take a noninvasive brain-computer interface approach using gene therapy and ultrasound technology rather than Neuralink’s surgical implantation method. This development comes as Altman positions himself in the emerging brain-computer interface space with a fundamentally different technical strategy.
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Understanding the Technical Approach
The combination of gene therapy and ultrasound represents a radical departure from current brain-computer interface approaches. Gene therapy would potentially modify neurons to express proteins that make them responsive to ultrasound, while ultrasound technology could then be used to both read and write neural activity from outside the skull. This approach builds on emerging research in biomolecular engineering and could theoretically avoid the significant risks associated with brain surgery and implanted hardware. The technology would need to overcome substantial challenges in specificity, resolution, and safety to compete with direct neural interfaces.
Critical Analysis
The non-invasive approach carries both promise and significant scientific hurdles. While avoiding brain surgery eliminates immediate surgical risks, gene therapy introduces its own complex safety considerations, including potential immune responses and long-term genetic consequences. Ultrasound resolution for neural interfaces remains unproven at the scale needed for meaningful brain-computer communication. The technical challenges are substantial enough that some experts question whether non-invasive methods can ever match the precision of implanted devices. Additionally, Altman’s involvement raises questions about resource allocation given his leadership of OpenAI and other ventures.
Industry Impact
Merge Labs’ approach could fundamentally reshape the competitive landscape for brain-computer interfaces. If successful, it would create a high-volume consumer product category rather than the medical device focus that characterizes current approaches like Neuralink. The non-invasive nature would lower barriers to adoption and potentially accelerate regulatory approval timelines. However, the company faces established competitors with years of research and clinical experience. The substantial funding reportedly coming from OpenAI also raises questions about the relationship between artificial intelligence development and human-computer interface technologies, suggesting a strategic alignment between AI capabilities and human augmentation.
Outlook
The success of Merge Labs will depend on overcoming both technical and regulatory challenges that have stymied similar approaches for decades. The gene therapy component introduces additional regulatory complexity beyond typical medical device approval processes. Realistically, meaningful human trials are likely several years away, and commercial applications even further. However, if the technology proves viable, it could democratize brain-computer interfaces in ways that surgical approaches cannot, potentially creating new markets in consumer technology, rehabilitation, and human enhancement. The coming years will reveal whether this ambitious technical roadmap can deliver on its promise or joins the long list of promising but ultimately unsuccessful BCI approaches.
