There’s been a long-standing rift between the technologists engaged on conventional AI and the web3 builders constructing on the intersection of blockchains and AI. SuperAI made an effort to bridge this tradition hole.
Since we first wrote about the intersection of web3 and AI in 2022, this fast-moving expertise pattern has turn out to be a key characteristic of crypto conferences this 12 months. Nevertheless, it’s not as widespread that AI occasions make an effort to spotlight decentralization, or that either side of the web3 x AI equation come collectively to such an extent in a single occasion.
SuperAI, the flagship occasion throughout Singapore AI Week this June, could be the primary convention I’ve attended that has began to bridge the cultural divide between basic web2 founders and tasks, and the builders breaking new floor on the intersection of web3 and AI.
Nicely-organized and globally attended, the convention felt much like Token2049, a bi-annual crypto occasion held in Dubai and Singapore hosted by the identical organizers. Crowds flocked to the mainstage to hearken to investor and former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinvasan ship a chat concerning the complementary nature of web3 and AI. However proper behind him was Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert’s robotics presentation, adopted by former CEO of StabilityAI Emad Mostaque who introduced his new endeavor, Schelling AI, an AI-backed cryptocurrency. Convention goers from all around the globe — primarily Asia, the Center East, India, Australia, and a slew of Western nations — crammed the room taking in an eclectic mixture of AI and crypto.
Whereas I frolicked with among the most innovative groups working to carry the AI manufacturing pipeline onchain — Kiva, Pax, Ritual, Sapien, and Schelling AI, to call just a few — I additionally spoke with veteran AI entrepreneurs who held long-term positions at Meta, Microsoft, and different conventional firms traditionally on the forefront of machine studying and AI. SuperAI additionally held its Genesis Startup Competitors, the place early-stage AI firms pitched their merchandise to buyers on the stage, competing for a prize. Out of 700 candidates the world over, OpenOrigins — a blockchain-powered belief layer targeted on media provenance — took first place.
A thesis in motion
SuperAI was a testomony that our 2022 thesis is not going to solely be attainable, however will provide an alternate and extra democratic basis on which to construct this expertise. Our thesis was additional validated by the numerous startups who’ve come onto the scene to construct AI infrastructure utilizing web3 primitives, in addition to the rising funding momentum of the class.
At CoinFund, we frequently say that AI wants web3 way more than web3 wants AI. However the success of web3’s function in AI will rely upon how, culturally, these two views can unite. At this gathering amongst among the brightest minds in cognitive computing, it was promising to see each teams shifting towards one another in recognition of their potential to construct extra open, extra democratic, and in the end safer AI applied sciences by combining the 2 areas.
For builders, web3 hopes to democratize sources, permitting extra people to take part in AI analysis. It would additionally make sure that open supply AI continues to be a significant supply of innovation in capabilities, interpretability, and alignment. For customers, web3 knowledge can make sure that brokers are self-sovereign and have possession over their digital identification. In relation to mental property, it would certify that customers and copyright house owners are protected and correctly compensated for his or her creations.
As somebody who has been investing within the AI facet of web3 since 2020, this journey was a no brainer for me. I used to be glad to carry a cryptonative perspective to the convention, and to work with web2 AI founders to shut the cultural hole throughout the ecosystem.
Takeaways
Whereas a lot innovation has occurred in decentralized AI over the previous two years, it’s nonetheless very early. Most development to this point has been in laying the infrastructure basis for decentralized AI, and we’re nonetheless early to the appliance layer. By way of infrastructure, essentially the most tangible capabilities are GPU compute aggregation. For instance, io.internet — an organization creating immediate entry to GPUs — sponsored SuperAI. Decentralized coaching remains to be getting began and continues to be a difficult and controversial space, although quite a lot of firms together with GenSyn and Pax are making significant contributions to this space.
Asia continues to play an more and more necessary function in web3 innovation and adoption. Many technical tasks are primarily based in Singapore and Hong Kong, with sturdy machine studying expertise coming in from the world over. CoinFund has grown its group in Asia within the final two years and roughly half of our portfolio is situated outdoors of the U.S. — we’re thrilled to see extra builders be part of the crypto ecosystem globally day by day.
Extra viable infrastructure will assist folks construct functions that generate new capabilities, taking AI growth to the subsequent degree. Leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic usually discuss synthetic normal intelligence’s (AGI), nonetheless, the actual and sensible “hazard” of AI within the quick time period could be that it causes some automation to, say, 20% of labor. Extra usually, most individuals I spoke with had a a lot much less dramatic outlook on the hazards of AI. I had conversations with leaders within the house who consider that there’s a lower than 10% likelihood that AI presents existential dangers anytime quickly.
Reflecting on my week in Singapore, it’s clear that the intersection of web3 and AI is right here to remain, and the innovation within the house is continuous to develop as each industries come collectively to kind productive tasks and advance the decentralized cutting-edge.
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