AIInnovationStartups

Sam Altman’s Merge Labs Taps Caltech Scientist for Non-Invasive Brain Tech

Sam Altman is building a brain-computer interface startup called Merge Labs that will take a dramatically different approach from Neuralink. The OpenAI CEO has recruited Caltech biomolecular engineer Mikhail Shapiro, whose work focuses on using ultrasound and gene therapy to read brain activity without surgery. The hiring signals Altman’s preference for non-invasive neural interfaces over approaches that require implanting electrodes in the brain.

A Different Path to Brain-Computer Interfaces

Sam Altman is quietly assembling the pieces for his next major venture, and it’s shaping up to be a direct challenge to Neuralink’s vision of how humans should interface with machines. According to sources familiar with the matter, Altman has recruited Caltech professor Mikhail Shapiro—an award-winning biomolecular engineer—to join Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface startup expected to launch publicly in the coming weeks.

AIInnovationSoftware

OpenAI Acquires Apple Shortcuts Creators in Strategic AI Automation Move

In a strategic acquisition, OpenAI has purchased the development team responsible for Apple’s Shortcuts platform. The move positions OpenAI to compete directly in the AI automation space that Apple has been slow to develop.

OpenAI Makes Strategic Automation Acquisition

In a significant industry development, OpenAI has acquired Software Applications Incorporated, according to reports from technology news sources. The acquisition brings under OpenAI’s umbrella the same development team that originally created Workflow, which Apple later purchased and transformed into its popular Shortcuts automation platform.

AICybersecuritySoftware

OpenAI’s Atlas Browser Faces Prompt Injection Vulnerabilities as Security Concerns Mount

OpenAI’s newly launched Atlas browser is reportedly susceptible to prompt injection attacks that could compromise user security. Security researchers have demonstrated multiple successful exploits despite OpenAI’s safety measures, highlighting what analysts suggest is a systemic challenge for AI-powered browsers.

Atlas Browser Vulnerability Exposed

OpenAI’s recently introduced Atlas browser is reportedly vulnerable to malicious commands embedded within web pages, according to security researchers who have demonstrated successful prompt injection attacks. The browser, which integrates ChatGPT as an AI agent capable of processing web content, follows what sources indicate is a concerning pattern among AI-enhanced browsing tools.

AIBusinessTechnology

Meta Cuts 600 AI Jobs Amid Major Infrastructure Investment Push

Meta is laying off approximately 600 employees in its AI division while simultaneously pursuing aggressive infrastructure investment. The company continues hiring for its superintelligence unit despite the workforce reduction.

Major Workforce Reduction in AI Division

Meta is eliminating approximately 600 positions within its artificial intelligence unit, according to internal memos obtained by multiple news outlets. The layoffs, first reported by Axios and confirmed by CNBC, affect employees across AI infrastructure, the Fundamental Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) group, and various product-related teams.