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Fred Ehrsam, billionaire co-founder of Coinbase, is shifting his next big bet from cryptocurrency to the human brain, unveiling a non-invasive brain-computer interface designed to modulate brain activity with sound waves.

Ehrsam’s entry as the latest competitor to join the race to develop accessible brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) follows similar recent efforts from tech leaders like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates.

On April 8, Ehrsam’s startup, Nudge, unveiled its first product, the Nudge Zero. A noninvasive brain interface device that uses ultrasound to modulate brain activity, the technology represents the first start-up venture to pursue this unique approach with BCI technology.

The first nonverbal Neuralink patient to receive the chip implant is offering a glimpse into how he uses the technology — editing and narrating a YouTube video using signals from his brain.

Brad Smith is the third person in the world to get a brain chip implant with Elon Musk’s Neuralink, and the first person with ALS to do so.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects motor neurons — the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. Over time, patients lose voluntary control of muscle movements, affecting their ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe independently.

Investors hoping to back former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati’s buzzy new AI startup are being asked to commit a minimum of $50 million, according to two sources with knowledge of the deal. Murati is raising around $2 billion of capital at a $10 billion valuation for Thinking Machines Lab, BI previously reported.

Multiple sources say the mega-round, led by Andreessen Horowitz, is nearing the final stages of fundraising.

A spokesperson for Thinking Machines Lab declined to comment. A spokesperson for A16z did not respond to a request for comment. The round is not finalized, and the details could change. The financing would almost certainly rank as one of the largest seed rounds in history, which typically range in the low to mid-single digits.

A $50 million check size is beyond the scope of most traditional seed investors because it would represent a substantial percentage, if not their entire fund.

The minimum requirement and rich valuation reflect feverish investor enthusiasm for generative AI and the reality that there are a very limited number of technical founders with Murati’s expertise and the team she has assembled. It’s also enormously expensive to train AI models and recruit and retain top talent.

Murati spent over six years at OpenAI, where she worked on the development of ChatGPT and other AI research initiatives. She was briefly appointed interim CEO in November 2023 after OpenAI’s board abruptly fired Sam Altman, a move that sparked turmoil within the company. After Altman’s reinstatement as CEO, Murati resumed her role as CTO.

It has been a widely discussed mystery what exactly Thinking Machines will do to distinguish itself in a crowded and well-funded field that includes not only OpenAI but also Anthropic, Elon Musk’s xAI, and Google’s Gemini.

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UnHerd’s Flo Read meets Mars Society Founder, Robert Zubrin.

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Renowned aerospace engineer and President of the Mars Society — which advocates for human exploration and colonisation of Mars — gives us his case for a manned mission to Mars, and all the challenges that getting to the Red Planet may entail. Is Elon Musk one of them?

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Improving the human brain with the help of implanted chips and AI: Elon Musk’s startup Neuralink is among the companies developing this tech. Initial tests show it could be a game changer for people with disabilities.

#technology #braincomputerinterface #bci #australia #medicine #optimization #elonmusk #neuralink #stentrode #brain #computer #dishbrain.

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