Sam Altman v-s Elon Musk The BCI War

Two Very Different Bets on the Brain

At this time, both companies appear to be moving in the same direction, believing that BCIs will become the primary way for humans to interact with technology. However, if we look into more detail, both the companies have adopted two completely different approaches.

Musk: Implants, Scale, and Visible Demos

Musk's company, Neuralink, is planning a large production rollout of its brain implant in 2026 or later with over 90% of the surgical process being automated. The Link contains a miniaturized computer chip with a large portion of the skull removed and implanted in the space, as well as an external device that connects via 1,024 ultra-thin electrodes.

This device will enable a person who has suffered paralysis to control various devices using their thoughts. Neuralink has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to move forward with testing on human subjects.

Altman: Ultrasound, Molecules, and R&D Mode

On the other hand, Altman's new company, Merge Labs, is taking a completely different approach to the BCI space. This newly launched company has raised nearly $250 million in the form of an investment round led primarily by OpenAI, with a pre-money valuation of approximately $850 million.

Instead of implanting devices through cranial surgery, Merge Labs is focused on expanding the reach of BCIs through research and experimentation using molecular methods, as well as ultrasound. The goal is to create engineered molecules that will enable individual neurons and neuromodulators' responses to ultrasound, which are capable of sending and receiving electrical signals using ultrasound waves without requiring invasive techniques to reach the brain.

The BCI War: Access vs. Adoption

So what is this supposed "BCI war" all about?

It started as a fight over which company will define the standard interface for humans connected to AI through BCI. Both Musk and Altman have distinct visions for how they plan to succeed and both are viable paths toward achieving this goal.

Different Theories of Adoption

Musk's approach to BCI is focused on hardware. He plans to take medical use cases, like paralysis, prove their safety and efficacy using a small group of patients, and once that has been established he will drive pricing down and scale production until the general population can purchase them for use. His plan is to develop mass production capabilities via the same production techniques that Tesla has for mass producing electric vehicles and eventually developing surgical techniques similar to those used for installing spinal implants.

Altman's approach to BCI is much more software oriented. He believes that BCI is only one component of a larger AI stack and that BCI should be developed with the same ease of use and consumer orientation as most new technologies. OpenAI is framing BCI as "an important new frontier in human-machine interaction."

Neuralink: The Hardware Platform Play

The method that Neuralink is pursuing is focused around building an entire hardware solution (stack) to be the basis for this technology:

• Design the chip and electrode(s) to be used.
• Automate the surgical process for inserting the electrode(s) into the brain.
• Create software for interpreting the signals generated by the electrodes and using those signals to control devices.

If all works out as planned, then Neuralink will likely become the "Apple" of brain-computer interfacing by creating the complete device and its operating system from the ground up. This could help Ovalit gain acceptance for medical reimbursement, large Defence contracts, gaming and other markets where devices will allow humans and computers to interface with each other.

In addition, with its recent $650 million Series E funding and clinical data obtained from multiple patients, Neuralink has demonstrated that it is further along the path to clinical traction than both Merge Labs and BrainGate.

Merge Labs + OpenAI: The AI‑First Ecosystem

The stacks of Altman and Musk represent two different directions for the development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies. OpenAI serves as the AI layer, while Merge serves as an interface and R&D layer. Additionally, OpenAI and Merge both have hardware partnerships, such as OpenAI's collaboration with Jony Ive's venture on building non-screen AI devices, and both organizations are also building a portfolio of adjacent investments through the OpenAI Startup Fund.

Therefore, Altman does not have to own a surgical robot; rather, he has to make sure that when brain-level intent becomes a main source of input, it will run on a fluent OpenAI platform.

So the BCI war is also a platform war:

• Does the "brain app store" run on a Musk‑controlled closed hardware system?
• Or on interfaces tied to the AI models and tools Altman is already scaling?

Ethics, Risk, and Public Trust

• Merge Labs has taken a different path; the company operates on a research-driven, mostly non-invasive approach, promoting the idea that this approach produces healthier brain states. Healthier brain states may appear to many users and regulators to be safer than alternative options, although it should be noted that Merge Labs is still relatively early-stage.
• As a result, both companies need to address the difficult questions surrounding consent, mental privacy, and data ownership, but at present only Musk has begun implanting devices in patients. Altman is still in the process of defining his roadmap.

What This Means for Business and Builders

• The Altman vs Musk BCI Race has shown Tech/Healthcare/AI that this is a legitimate business opportunity, not just background noise.
• Neuralink has demonstrated that regulatory bodies will approve invasive brain implants when the clinical benefit is significant. This opens doors for research into treatments for paralysis, epilepsy, vision problems, and mental health issues.
• Merge Labs has indicated that it is likely that brain-level intent will eventually be used to support how an individual would access, create and collaborate with AI. Modern forms of searching for information using text or voice have been around for a while now.
• Merge, which has received approximately $250 million in seed funding and has been valued at around $850 million, is now positioned to be the second largest company in the United States BCI space, following Neuralink. This clearly suggests that the BCI market is transitioning from a science fiction concept to an integral part of our infrastructure.

The Real Endgame: Who Owns the Interface to Human Thought?

This BCI war is really about who controls the interface to human thought. Musk is betting people will accept brain surgery for enough upside; Altman is betting they will not need to. One wants hardware installed, the other wants biology "tuned"; and whichever wins will shape power, markets, and everyday agency in an AI‑first world.