OpenAI Invests in Fitness Tech Platform Merge Labs
OpenAI participated in an investment round for Merge Labs, a fitness technology company, at an $850M valuation. Merge Labs provides B2B AI backend platforms designed to integrate wearable data and performance analytics to power personalized training plans. The investment highlights a strategic interest in AI applications for human performance and personalized coaching.
- While public information points to OpenAI investing in a brain-computer interface (BCI) company called Merge Labs, there is no verifiable record of an investment in a "fitness tech platform" of the same name. The BCI venture, also co-founded by Sam Altman, raised $252 million in a seed round with OpenAI as a major investor to develop non-invasive methods for connecting the human brain with AI. - OpenAI's investment in the BCI Merge Labs is part of a larger trend of big tech's interest in neural interfaces, with competitors like Elon Musk's Neuralink. Merge Labs, however, is focusing on less invasive technologies like ultrasound to interact with the brain, differentiating itself from approaches that require surgical implants. - OpenAI is actively expanding into the health and wellness vertical through other ventures. It is a lead investor in Thrive AI Health, a startup co-founded with Arianna Huffington's Thrive Global, which is developing an AI-powered health coach for personalized advice on fitness, sleep, and nutrition. - The CEO of Thrive AI Health, DeCarlos Love, was previously a product leader at Google, where he worked on health and fitness experiences for Fitbit, Pixel Watch, and Wear OS. This signals a strategic focus on leveraging experienced talent from the consumer wellness tech industry. - In early 2026, OpenAI also launched ChatGPT Health, a dedicated feature within ChatGPT that allows users to connect their medical records and data from wellness apps like Apple Health and MyFitnessPal for personalized health insights. This move indicates a strategy to build a comprehensive health data ecosystem. - To bolster its capabilities in handling fragmented health data, OpenAI acquired Torch Health, a startup specializing in unifying medical records, for a reported $60 million to $100 million in early 2026. - The broader AI in fitness and wellness market is projected to grow significantly, with one forecast predicting an increase from $10.68 billion in 2025 to $57.80 billion by 2035. Another report projects the market to reach $63.3 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 20.0%. - Key applications driving this market growth include AI-powered personalized fitness and nutrition recommendations, real-time health monitoring via wearables, and virtual coaching platforms, indicating a large addressable market for new ventures.
