In a world where AI is becoming the bedrock of innovation and crypto is revolutionizing decentralized networks, the convergence of these two technologies is poised to reshape the future of computation. This article explores how the marriage of crypto and AI could democratize access to computational power and data, challenging the current centralized models and offering new avenues for solving real-world problems.
The Power of Decentralized Networks
One thing that makes crypto unique is the speed and scale at which it can spur the creation of computer networks. Bitcoin, now the largest computer network in the world, performs roughly 500 times as many operations per second as the world’s largest supercomputer. However, the Bitcoin network is specifically limited in its design to perform a single type of application.
Crypto startups are looking to harness this crypto superpower to incentivize and create decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) that can perform more general computation, addressing real-world use cases. This potential becomes particularly powerful at the intersection of crypto and AI, where the economic incentives of crypto allow individuals from around the globe to contribute work, data, and compute power to train open-source AI models.
Crypto’s Role in AI Democratization
The cost to train cutting-edge AI models is staggering. For example, GPT-3 cost approximately $4.6 million to train in 2023, and by 2024, the cost to train GPT-4 skyrocketed to around $100 million. These escalating costs are concentrating AI capabilities in fewer and fewer hands, creating a significant barrier to entry.
A decentralized approach, leveraging crypto, can lower these barriers. While a decentralized network might not compete directly with giants like ChatGPT, open-source models fine-tuned towards specific tasks can outperform generalized models like GPT-4 in their niche. This presents a massive opportunity to democratize AI, allowing more players to participate in the AI revolution.
Case Study: Bittensor and Vana
Bittensor has pioneered the subnet model where developers compete to build "miners" that perform tasks powered by AI—such as responding to questions, solving math problems, generating images, or other specialized tasks. These miners are rewarded with TAO tokens for outcompeting others. Validators, acting as referees, ensure that the miners perform to a high standard. The emergent network of miners and validators powers an API used by end-user applications. Bittensor’s infrastructure supports 40 subnets, each targeting a specific AI use case, with applications like Corcel now available in the App Store.
Another bottleneck in AI training is access to data. Vana is a crypto network that pools high-quality data for training AI models, similar to how Bittensor pools compute resources. Vana supports initiatives like the Reddit Data DAO, which allows users to contribute their personal Reddit data while maintaining ownership and voting rights over how the data is used. This decentralized approach ensures that data, a critical asset in AI training, is accessible without compromising ownership.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Increasingly, many problems in areas like genetics, brain research, public health, and climate studies are becoming computing problems. Sometimes, these problems are not limited by access to computing resources but rather by access to high-quality data, which is often stuck behind proprietary licensing arrangements or inaccessible due to economic misalignment. Progress is held back when breakthroughs in areas like cancer research are slowed because information is stuck behind a paywall.
Crypto and AI have a massive opportunity to fix these gaps in incentives, building out complex and reliable computing infrastructures that give open-source AI a fighting chance. However, there are challenges to consider, including ensuring security, governance, and avoiding the potential centralization of power within decentralized networks.
Conclusion: The Choice Is Ours
As we stand at the crossroads of crypto and AI, the decisions we make today could democratize the future of computation or further entrench existing power structures. The choice is ours. How do you think crypto and AI will reshape our world? Leave us a comment below, join the conversation, and explore the opportunities in this rapidly evolving space.
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