OpenAI Invests $252M in Non‑Invasive BCI

The future of the brain and AI just received a major boost. Merge Labs, a new deep‑tech lab combining ultrasound neurotechnology, molecular biology, and artificial intelligence, has emerged from stealth with a $252M seed round led by OpenAI. This marks one of the most significant milestones in the development of non‑invasive BCI — technology that could enable brain‑to‑AI communication without surgery.

If you’ve ever wondered whether AI can read thoughts, this is the first serious step in that direction.

How Does a Non‑Invasive BCI Work?

Merge Labs is developing a system that enables reading neural activity through the intact skull, without implants. Unlike Neuralink, which relies on electrodes, Merge Labs uses:

• functional ultrasound (fUS)

• molecular sonogenetic markers

• AI models for signal decoding

This approach allows deeper and more precise brain imaging than EEG, without surgical risk.

If you’re looking for ultrasound neurotechnology explained simply, here’s the essence:

• ultrasound measures blood‑flow changes linked to neural activity

• molecular markers make specific neurons visible to ultrasound

• AI decodes the signals and turns them into interpretable patterns

It’s a completely new BCI paradigm.

How can AI read thoughts?Technology Explained

Functional Ultrasound (fUS)

fUS enables:

• hemodynamic brain readout

• modulation of neural circuits

• operation through the skull

• a wide field of view

This is the foundation of mind‑reading technology without implants.

Sonogenetics

Acoustic reporter genes allow:

• selective labeling of neurons

• activation via ultrasound

• precise modulation of neural networks

AI and the Brain

AI foundation models enable:

• decoding noisy neural signals

• boosting communication bandwidth

• stable human–AI interaction

   

  The Difference Between Neuralink and Merge Labs

  Neuralink	Merge Labs
  invasive implants	non‑invasive ultrasound
  electrodes	molecules + ultrasound
  surgery required	no surgery
  medical focus	medical + consumer potential

   

  Timeline: When Can We Expect the First Prototypes?

  • 2027–2028: early lab prototypes

  • 2030+: functional thought‑to‑AI systems

  • 2032+: consumer version (depending on regulation)

     

     

    ⚠️Risks and Ethical Challenges

   

  1. Neuro‑privacy

  If AI can read neural signals, key questions arise:

  • who controls the data

  • how brain privacy is protected

  • whether misuse is possible

   2. Long‑term Modulation Safety

  Even though ultrasound is non‑invasive, we must confirm:

  • long‑term safety

  • stability of molecular markers

  • absence of side effects

   3. Ethics of Cognitive Enhancement

  BCI could create a new form of inequality:

  • who gets access

  • who controls the technology

  • how manipulation is prevented

    How do we balance innovation with responsibility read article.

  4. Regulation

  The EU AI Act and future neuro‑rights laws may slow consumer deployment.

  Merge Labs represents the most advanced attempt so far to combine:

  • AI and the brain

  • ultrasound neurotechnology

  • molecular biology

  • non‑invasive BCI

  If successful, this could unlock:

  • therapies for neurological disorders

  • assistive technologies

  • cognitive enhancement

  The future of the brain and AI is no longer science fiction. As the boundary between biology and computation continues to blur, the question is no longer whether non‑invasive BCI will reshape human–AI interaction, but how quickly we’ll adapt to it.

  The next decade will redefine technology and will likely redefine what it means to think, communicate, and extend the human mind.