WHAT’S AT STAKE TODAY ⚡

• Sam Altman, OpenAI will reportedly back a startup that takes on Musk's Neuralink 🧠
• Co-founder of Elon Musk's xAI departs the company 🚪
• NeoLogic wants to build more energy-efficient CPUs for AI data centers ⚡
• ChatGPT's model picker is back, and it's complicated 🔄
• Anthropic nabs Humanloop team as competition for enterprise AI talent heats up 🔥
• Waymo finally has a music experience worthy of its robotaxi 🎵
• AI demand expected to boost electronics sector in 2025, analysts say 📈
• YouTube's New AI Age Verification System Goes Into Effect Today in the United States ✅

Sam Altman reportedly co-founding brain-computer interface startup to challenge Neuralink.

Sam Altman, OpenAI will reportedly back a startup that takes on Musk’s Neuralink

Sam Altman is reportedly co-founding a new brain-computer interface startup called Merge Labs, seeking an $850 million valuation with potential funding from OpenAI's ventures team, according to Financial Times sources. However, TechCrunch reports that discussions remain in early stages and OpenAI hasn't committed to participation, meaning terms could still change significantly.

The venture involves collaboration with Alex Blania, who leads Tools for Humanity (formerly World), Altman's controversial eye-scanning digital identity project that aims to verify human authenticity in an AI-driven world.

Merge Labs will directly compete with Elon Musk's Neuralink, the brain-computer interface company founded in 2016 that has made substantial progress in the field. Neuralink recently raised $600 million in a Series E funding round, achieving a $9 billion valuation in June. The company is currently conducting human trials with severely paralyzed patients, developing technology that enables them to control devices through thought alone.

Both companies are working toward what many consider the next frontier of human-technology integration. Brain-computer interfaces could fundamentally transform how humans interact with digital systems, potentially leading toward what futurists call "the singularity."

This concept has deep roots in Silicon Valley's technological philosophy. While today's tech leaders often discuss artificial general intelligence (AGI), the industry was previously captivated by the singularity concept. Musk defines it as the moment AI surpasses human intelligence, but the classical interpretation, inspired by Dino Buzzati's 1960s novella, describes the merger of technology with human biology.

Altman explored these ideas in a 2017 blog post titled "The Merge," where he wrote, "Although the merge has already begun, it's going to get a lot weirder. We will be the first species ever to design our own descendants." His observations were influenced by research he witnessed at OpenAI, where Musk was still serving as co-founder at the time.

The relationship between these two tech titans has deteriorated significantly since Musk departed OpenAI in 2018. Their rivalry has become increasingly public, with recent exchanges on X (formerly Twitter) highlighting their animosity. This week, tensions flared when Altman accused Musk of manipulating the X platform, prompting Musk to publicly call Altman a liar.

The timing of Merge Labs' emergence seems strategically significant. As Neuralink advances through human trials and gains market traction, Altman appears unwilling to cede this crucial technological territory to his former colleague and current rival. The brain-computer interface sector represents a potentially transformative market that could reshape human capabilities and digital interaction.

Neuralink's current focus on medical applications, particularly helping paralyzed individuals regain digital control, represents just the beginning of this technology's potential. Future applications could extend to cognitive enhancement, direct neural internet access, and seamless integration between human consciousness and artificial intelligence systems.

For Altman, whose OpenAI has become synonymous with AI advancement through ChatGPT and other breakthrough technologies, entering the brain-computer interface space represents a logical expansion. Combining AI expertise with neural interface technology could create unprecedented opportunities for human augmentation.

The involvement of OpenAI's ventures team in potential funding raises interesting questions about corporate strategy and conflict of interest. If OpenAI invests in Merge Labs while Altman leads both organizations, it would create complex governance dynamics requiring careful management.

The $850 million valuation, while substantial, reflects the enormous potential and technical challenges inherent in brain-computer interface development. Success requires expertise spanning neuroscience, engineering, software development, and regulatory compliance, making it one of the most complex technological undertakings in modern history.

As the formal announcement of Merge Labs awaits, the emerging competition between Altman and Musk in this space promises to accelerate innovation in brain-computer interfaces. Their rivalry, while personal, could ultimately benefit humanity by driving faster development of technologies that could help disabled individuals and eventually enhance human cognitive capabilities.

OpenAI declined to comment on the reports, maintaining silence around Altman's new venture and any potential investment involvement.

xAI co-founder Igor Babuschkin leaves to start AI safety VC firm.

Co-founder of Elon Musk’s xAI departs the company

Igor Babuschkin, co-founder of Elon Musk's xAI startup, announced his departure Wednesday to launch Babuschkin Ventures, a VC firm focused on AI safety research. The former Google DeepMind researcher helped build xAI into a leading AI developer since 2023, despite recent controversies involving their Grok chatbot's problematic outputs. Babuschkin previously worked on breakthrough projects like AlphaStar at DeepMind and contributed to OpenAI before ChatGPT's release. He credits Musk with teaching him fearlessness in tackling technical problems and maintaining urgent execution timelines.

⚡ More AI Bites

1. 💻⚡ Neologic wants to build more energy efficient CPUs for AI data centers. New chip startup targets power-hungry AI workloads!
2. 🤖🔄 ChatGPT's model picker is back and it's complicated. OpenAI brings back choice with confusion!
3. 🏢👥 Anthropic nabs Humanloop team as competition for enterprise AI talent heats up. Claude maker acquires AI tooling expertise!
4. 🚗🎵 Waymo finally has a music experience worthy of its robotaxi. Self-driving cars get soundtrack upgrade!
5. 📱📈 AI demand expected to boost electronics sector growth. Artificial intelligence drives hardware sales!
6. 🎬🔞 YouTube's new AI age verification system goes into effect today in the United States. Video platform deploys smart identity checks!

What if your story was your sales strategy?

This week, I sat down with Maury Rogow, Hollywood producer and branding mastermind behind $2.5B in brand growth.

We talked about why the brands that feel effortless aren’t the loudest — they’re just the most aligned.

👉 Watch the episode here

⚡ Trends for the Future

Amazon's Zoox Opens Its First Major Robotaxi Production Facility

The details:

Amazon’s Zoox has launched a 220,000-square-foot robotaxi production site in Hayward, CA — its first full-scale factory capable of producing up to 10,000 autonomous vehicles annually.

Built to support commercial deployment, the facility will handle everything from software integration to final assembly, combining human labor with automation to fast-track delivery.

Unlike competitors who retrofit cars, Zoox designs vehicles from scratch. Its custom-built AVs feature bidirectional layouts with no steering wheels or pedals — a vision of true autonomy.

Zoox already operates an early-access ride program in Las Vegas and aims to begin paid rides in 2025, with San Francisco, Austin, and Miami on the expansion roadmap.

What makes this crucial: With Amazon’s backing and in-house manufacturing now live, Zoox is making its move toward scale — a necessary edge in the autonomous ride wars.

⚡ You’re Smart. Strategic. Intentional. So Let’s Be Real:
Where Are You Holding Back— On Purpose?

Every smart operator has something they’re intentionally avoiding.

Not because they’re lazy — but because it’s risky, unknown, or just... a bit *uncomfortable*.

So what’s that thing for you?
That one decision, move, or experiment you know would push you forward — but you’ve been choosing not to do it.

Tell us — and we’ll share a tactical POV or tool to help you rethink it.
No fluff. Just momentum.

🛍️ Need a little dopamine hit? We got you.

Welcome to our brand new digital shopping corner — the place where scroll meets soul. Whether you’re here to procrastinate productively or just hunt down something unexpectedly awesome, you’re in the right place.

👉 Join our weekly AI tools building sessions – you can learn how to build and design for a fraction of the time: marketing tools, lead generation tools, and more.

👉 Sign up for the "Create How-To Guides with AI" tool here – fast, visual guides built with AI to make onboarding and documentation a breeze.

Go on, click it. It’s guilt-free indulgence (and might even be tax-deductible... kidding. Sorta.)

🎬 How to Use AI Agents to Build High-Converting Video Ads

Build once. Scale everywhere. In just minutes.

What if: Instead of spending weeks scripting, editing, and testing ads… you could build 10 variations of a high-converting video in 15 minutes — with agents handling the voiceover, visuals, call-to-action, and even the hook testing?

That’s exactly what we’ll show you this week — live.

Why This Changes Everything for Founders 🧠

• 🎥 Fast-Track Ad Creation: From idea to launch-ready video in under an hour — no team needed.
• 🔁 Test Like a Pro: Run A/B tests on 10 hooks, CTAs, or visuals — while you sleep.
• 💰 Better ROAS, Less Guessing: Let agents learn what your audience *actually* responds to.
• 📦 Works for Any Product: Digital or physical — agents adapt to your niche & brand voice.

📅 Join the Live Session w code Supercharged

We’ll walk you step-by-step through building your own ad-generating agent — no code needed.

👉 Click here to save your seat for the webinar

You’ll leave with a working prototype, free templates, and 5x more speed in your next ad campaign.

🎁 Bonus for Attendees:

• ✅ AI Agent Template for Ad Generation
• ✅ "Top 10 Hooks That Convert" Prompt Pack
• ✅ Entry to win a Free AI Strategy Audit