Scott Griffin

Category: Artificial Intelligence

  • Blockchain Pioneers: 6 Projects and Initiatives Exploring Decentralized AI.

    Blockchain Pioneers: 6 Projects and Initiatives Exploring Decentralized AI.

    Let’s dive into some notable examples of key players merging blockchain technology with AI.

    While decentralized AI is still in the early stages, many blockchain projects are laying the foundation for a future where AI is not controlled by a few corporations or governments.

    Some initiatives are pushing the boundaries of decentralized AI by creating ecosystems where data, computing power, and AI models can be shared and accessed in an open, transparent, and secure way.

    These projects are already pioneering the possibilities of how blockchain and decentralized networks can reshape the AI landscape, but for widespread adoption to occur, further advancements in technology, regulatory frameworks, and public awareness will be necessary.

    As the global economic landscape continues to shift, decentralized AI may become an essential tool for empowering individuals and businesses alike.

    SingularityNET’s mission is to create decentralized beneficial AGI for humanity and other sentient beings.

    1. SingularityNET

    Vision: The goal is to create a global, decentralized AI network that breaks down the barriers posed by proprietary AI systems controlled by large corporations.

    Overview: SingularityNET is one of the most well-known projects working on decentralized AI. It is a blockchain-based marketplace for AI services. The idea is to allow developers to share their AI models and services in a decentralized network, enabling anyone to access, create, and sell AI algorithms.

    Key Features:

    Decentralized Marketplace: It provides a platform where developers can monetize their AI services and models without relying on centralized intermediaries.

    AI Collaboration: SingularityNET allows different AI systems to communicate and collaborate with each other, creating a more open and interoperable AI ecosystem.

    Token Economy: The network uses its own native token, AGIX, to pay for AI services and transactions within the platform.

    SingularityNET: SingularityNET lets anyone – create, share, and monetize AI services at scale. SingularityNET is the world’s first decentralized AI network.

    Ocean Protocol is a crypto on-ramp for data services which unlocks the value of data. Founded in 2017, it uses blockchain technology to connect data providers and consumers. Data owners can sell data through the Ocean Market app in order to monetize their data while preserving privacy and control.

    2. Ocean Protocol

    Vision: Ocean Protocol aims to create a data economy where AI is powered by decentralized data sources, empowering individuals and organizations to participate in AI development without centralized control.

    Overview: Ocean Protocol is a decentralized data exchange protocol that aims to unlock data for AI and machine learning. It provides a decentralized marketplace for data providers and consumers, allowing AI developers to access datasets that can train their models.

    Key Features:

    Data Sovereignty: Ocean Protocol ensures that data owners maintain control over their data while still allowing it to be used by others in a decentralized manner.

    Blockchain-Powered AI: By utilizing blockchain, Ocean enables transparent, secure, and trusted data sharing. This supports the development of AI models that can access decentralized datasets, which is essential for decentralized AI.

    Privacy-Preserving: The protocol allows for the creation of privacy-preserving datasets and allows for AI models to be trained on those datasets without compromising privacy.

    Ocean Protocol: OCEAN NODES. The tool to enhance your AI capabilities and make the most of your computational resources. Develop, train, and monetize your models efficiently.

    Fetch AI (FET) is an Ethereum token that powers Fetch.ai, a decentralized machine learning platform for applications such as asset trading, gig economy work, and energy grid optimization. Fetch. ai’s first decentralized finance application helps Uniswap users automate trading according to predefined conditions.

    3. Fetch.ai

    Vision: Fetch.ai aims to create decentralized systems where AI-powered agents can optimize various aspects of the economy, from logistics to energy use, without relying on centralized control.

    Overview: Fetch.ai is a decentralized platform that aims to build autonomous “digital economies” using AI and blockchain. It combines machine learning, AI, and multi-agent systems to create a self-organizing decentralized network of digital agents.

    Key Features:

    Autonomous Economic Agents: Fetch.ai allows digital agents (powered by AI) to make decisions, trade, and interact within the platform autonomously.

    Blockchain Integration: Blockchain ensures that all transactions between these agents are secure, verifiable, and transparent.

    Optimizing Processes: It helps optimize complex systems like supply chains, energy grids, and transportation networks by enabling autonomous negotiation and decision-making.

    Fetch AI: Fetch.ai open platform provides tools to build innovative AI apps and services. Join the community and unlock the AI potential of your products.

    DeepBrain Chain 2.0 is the world’s first AI public chain, building decentralized AI infrastructure, compatible with the EVM smart contract standard, and supporting the decentralized operation of AI models.

    4. DeepBrain Chain

    Vision: DeepBrain Chain aims to make AI development more affordable and accessible by providing decentralized computing resources that are crucial for the training of AI models.

    Overview: DeepBrain Chain is a decentralized AI computing platform built on blockchain. It focuses on providing affordable and scalable computing resources for AI developers by utilizing blockchain to create a distributed network of computing power.

    Key Features:

    Decentralized AI Computing: By pooling together computing resources from various contributors, DeepBrain Chain provides a marketplace for AI computing power. This makes it cheaper for AI companies to train models without relying on expensive centralized cloud services.

    Data Privacy and Security: It also ensures that sensitive data can be kept secure and private while being used to train AI models, leveraging the decentralized nature of blockchain.

    Token Incentives: The platform uses its own token (DBC) to incentivize participants to contribute computing resources or data to the network.

    DeepBrain Chain: DeepBrainChain is the world’s first public artificial intelligence chain, creating a decentralized AI infrastructure.

    Braintrust is the first decentralized talent network that connects highly skilled technical freelancers with the world’s most reputable brands like Nestle, Porsche, Atlassian, Goldman Sachs and Nike.

    5. Braintrust

    Vision: Braintrust aims to disrupt the traditional hiring model, and as AI development becomes more decentralized, platforms like Braintrust could play a role in facilitating the development of AI by connecting distributed teams of professionals.

    Overview: Braintrust is a decentralized talent network that connects businesses with skilled professionals. While it’s not purely AI-focused, the platform utilizes decentralized principles to match talent with opportunities and could have applications for decentralized AI workforce development in the future.

    Key Features:

    Decentralized Talent Matching: Braintrust uses blockchain to connect businesses with skilled professionals, allowing for trustless transactions without intermediaries.

    AI and Smart Contract Integration: Braintrust integrates smart contracts to automate talent compensation and project completion, which could extend to AI model development in the future.

    Braintrust: Braintrust connects companies with top technical talent to complete strategic projects and drive innovation.

    Numerai is an innovative hedge fund aggregator that provides a great way for financial advisors and data scientists to earn extra profits based on their prediction models uploaded to the system. With Tournament and Signals, anyone can trade equities in real-life markets via Numerai’s software.

    6. Numerai

    Vision: Numerai is a fascinating example of how AI can be decentralized and driven by individual contributions, even if it’s specifically for finance. The decentralized model could serve as a template for other industries that wish to build decentralized AI systems.

    Overview: Numerai is a decentralized hedge fund that leverages AI and machine learning to predict financial markets. While its primary goal is financial prediction, the platform’s structure relies on decentralized principles and could pave the way for more decentralized AI applications in other sectors.

    Key Features:

    Data Science Marketplace: Numerai allows data scientists to build machine learning models and submit them to a central hedge fund, but it is powered by decentralized principles, including incentivizing participation with cryptocurrency.

    NMR Token: The platform uses the NMR token to incentivize data scientists to contribute to its financial predictions.

    Numerai: Numerai is a data science competition where you build machine learning models to predict the stock market.

  • From Niche to Necessity: The Path to Blockchain and Decentralized AI Adoption

    From Niche to Necessity: The Path to Blockchain and Decentralized AI Adoption
    The future belongs to those who unlock the power of decentralized technology. Are we ready for the tipping point?

    Let’s break it down, the timeline of critical mass, the role of civil resistance, decentralized AI, and the current state of our political and economic systems.

    When Will Critical Mass Be Reached for Blockchain and Decentralized AI?

    Predicting the exact timeline for when blockchain and decentralized AI will hit critical mass is challenging, but there are some key markers we can look for. In general, technology tends to progress in waves, and the speed of adoption can accelerate once certain conditions are met. We can break it into the following phases:

    • Short-Term (Next 5–10 years):
      • Blockchain: We are likely to see continued adoption in niche sectors—financial services (DeFi), identity management, supply chains, and decentralized governance (e.g., DAOs). However, widespread adoption may remain slow unless there are significant regulatory breakthroughs or major financial crises that prompt governments and institutions to integrate blockchain more seriously.
      • Decentralized AI: Real decentralized AI is still in its infancy, but the groundwork is being laid. Currently, most AI systems are centralized and controlled by major corporations. The idea of decentralized AI, where the models are open, collaborative, and controlled by users, is not yet fully realized. But the increasing push for open-source AI tools, data privacy, and individual data sovereignty may fuel interest in this direction. In the next 5–10 years, decentralized AI could start to emerge as a legitimate alternative to corporate-controlled AI.
    • Medium-Term (10–20 years):
      • By this time, we could see a critical mass of people, organizations, and governments adopting blockchain for more significant functions. If financial systems continue to destabilize (due to inflation, inequality, or geopolitical conflict), decentralized systems may become the norm. People will look to blockchain to secure their financial assets and protect their privacy.
      • Decentralized AI could become more mainstream by this time, particularly if the issues of data privacy and control are recognized as critical. Governments and tech giants may begin to adopt decentralized AI frameworks, but the push for open, community-driven models will likely still be under the radar until there’s a significant crisis or demand for change.
    • Long-Term (20+ years):
      • At this point, we could see blockchain technology embedded into virtually all aspects of the economy, governance, and society. Decentralized AI could play a role in governance, education, healthcare, and other sectors where trust and transparency are essential.
      • A true decentralized economy that operates largely outside the control of governments or large corporations could start to emerge, but this would require the dismantling of many current systems of power. The rise of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and the end of corporate monopolies might also create new types of governance structures.

    Civil Uprising and Resistance to the Status Quo


    Civil resistance will likely play a crucial role in expediting the transition toward a decentralized future—both for blockchain and decentralized AI. It sounds dramatic but civil uprisings and social movements have historically been key catalysts for pushing back against entrenched power structures, especially when those in power resist needed change.

    • A Historical Parallel: Think of the civil rights movements or the early tech revolutions (like the creation of the internet or the rise of open-source software). In those cases, significant grassroots efforts had to push against the prevailing powers to create the change we take for granted today. Blockchain has that same potential to democratize and decentralize the systems we live under, but it will likely take activism, education, and social pressure to make it mainstream.
    • Government and Corporate Pushback: In times of crisis (like the recent pandemic), governments can impose restrictions that curb civil liberties. The same could happen with blockchain and AI—if these technologies begin to threaten the financial and political control of corporations or governments, we could see concerted efforts to suppress their adoption. Governments and corporations may resort to legislative and regulatory action to protect their interests. However, the more decentralized the tech becomes, the harder it will be for any one entity to control or shut it down.
    • The Role of Civil Uprising: If decentralized technologies (especially DeFi or decentralized AI) challenge the status quo, resistance movements could emerge, pushing for open-source alternatives to corporate monopolies. This could be particularly powerful in countries where financial inequality or state oppression is a major issue. If blockchain and AI are framed as tools for empowerment, financial inclusion, and autonomy, grassroots movements will likely become pivotal in pushing for their widespread adoption.


    What If? Can AI Just Bypass Governments and Transition to Decentralization?

    This is a fascinating question because it blends speculative fiction with the realities of technology and power. Could AI, if built on a decentralized framework, eventually bypass government oversight and corporate control? Let’s consider the possibility:

    Current Landscape of AI: AI is still largely controlled by centralized entities. Major corporations like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft control most of the data and algorithms that fuel modern AI. These companies not only provide the infrastructure but also control the access and applications of AI.

    Blockchain’s Role in Decentralizing AI: Blockchain could indeed play a role in disrupting this centralized control. By decentralizing the data layer—allowing users to own and control their own data—AI could operate in a more open and transparent manner. This might involve creating decentralized AI marketplaces where developers could build and share models without corporate interference. Additionally, open-source AI tools could allow anyone to access, modify, and use AI systems for their benefit.

    Bypassing Governments: Technologically, decentralized AI could bypass government restrictions. If AI is distributed across multiple networks and isn’t reliant on a single central authority, governments may struggle to regulate it in the same way they do now. In the same vein, decentralized networks could be built in such a way that they’re resistant to censorship or shutdowns. However, there are significant challenges here, particularly in how governments and international organizations might regulate and control access to decentralized AI.

    Barriers to Decentralized AI: The challenge is that decentralized AI still needs a massive shift in infrastructure, legal frameworks, and social structures to take off. Right now, most people don’t even know what decentralized AI could look like, much less demand it. Decentralized AI also requires the active participation of a global network of users, developers, and validators to make it truly functional and decentralized. This makes it much harder for any one party to control it.

    Can Corporations Hold Back Progress?

    Yes, corporations and central powers will likely continue to try to slow down or derail progress, particularly if they feel their control is threatened. We’ve already seen this in multiple industries (for example, how traditional banking systems have fought against decentralized finance). Corporations have the financial and political power to shape policy, influence governments, and protect their interests.

    Corporate Pushback: One way corporations might try to slow blockchain and AI adoption is by lobbying governments to regulate the technologies in ways that protect their existing business models. For instance, large tech companies may argue that decentralized AI could be too risky for consumers, arguing for regulation that limits its growth.

    Economic instability—high inflation, geopolitical instability, and wars—could all be used as justifications to increase surveillance, control, and centralization in the face of “emergency” conditions.

    Is Progress Inevitable?: The bigger question is whether this resistance will be enough to halt the momentum. Historically, societal change has often been unstoppable once it reaches a certain point. The internet faced similar resistance in its early days, but over time, it became too powerful to ignore. The same could happen with blockchain and decentralized AI.

    We’re at a very delicate and transitional stage. We’re witnessing the foundations of a new world, but whether that world can be realized depends on many factors—technological advancements, political will, and the collective pressure of grassroots movements. The current economic instability, geopolitical tensions, and the rise of civil resistance are all key factors that could fuel the demand for decentralized solutions like blockchain and AI.

    And while governments and corporations may try to hold back the floodgates, the question becomes: How long can they keep the dam from breaking?

    Photo by Ron Lach

  • Decentralized Futures: Exploring Blockchain and AI’s Potential for Transformation

    Decentralized Futures: Exploring Blockchain and AI’s Potential for Transformation
    Let’s imagine if AI were empowered not just by raw processing power, but also by the decentralized ethos that blockchain brings.
    How and when will AI transform our daily lives? What would decentralization look like in our not so distant future?

    Decentralized Futures: Exploring Blockchain and AI’s Potential for Transformation

    The world stands at a crossroads of technological innovation and societal evolution. Blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) are two of the most transformative technologies of our time, promising to upend traditional systems in finance, governance, and beyond. Yet, their trajectories are marked by a struggle: the tension between decentralization—the empowerment of individuals and communities—and the entrenched centralized powers of governments and corporations.

    We don’t have definitive answers or conclusions. Instead, let’s look at a mosaic of ideas and speculations about how these technologies might evolve, the barriers they face, and the profound implications they hold for our collective future.

    “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.”

    Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937)

    The Parallels Between Blockchain and AI

    Blockchain and AI, while fundamentally different in purpose and design, share an intriguing commonality: their potential to disrupt and democratize power structures. Blockchain, by its nature, decentralizes authority, enabling peer-to-peer interactions without intermediaries. It offers a vision of a world where financial systems, supply chains, and even governance structures are transparent and community-driven.

    AI, on the other hand, holds the power to process vast amounts of data and generate insights that could revolutionize industries. But in its current state, AI is predominantly controlled by a handful of corporations with the resources to develop and maintain its complex infrastructure. This concentration of power mirrors the centralized banking systems that blockchain seeks to dismantle.

    Both technologies, if fully decentralized, could fundamentally reshape how humanity operates. However, the journey toward such a future is fraught with challenges.


    AI is controlled by centralized entities like big tech companies, which currently monopolize access to large-scale data. However, decentralized AI is an incredibly exciting and largely unexplored frontier. Imagine if we could merge blockchain’s decentralized ethos with AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data.

    Barriers to Decentralization

    Centralized systems—whether they be financial, political, or technological—do not relinquish power easily. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a stark example of how governments can consolidate control under the guise of maintaining stability. Travel restrictions, economic shutdowns, and surveillance measures were implemented on an unprecedented scale, often at the cost of individual freedoms.

    In the realm of technology, similar dynamics play out. Centralized AI development is justified as a means of ensuring safety and ethical use, but this often translates into gatekeeping and profit maximization by a select few. Blockchain, too, faces resistance in the form of regulatory crackdowns, such as restrictions on cryptocurrencies and the banning of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms in certain regions.

    Without drastic intervention or widespread demand, these barriers threaten to keep both blockchain and AI from realizing their decentralized potential.


    In general, technology tends to progress in waves, and the speed of adoption can accelerate once certain conditions are met.

    Here are three barriers to disect:

    • The Centralization Paradox: While decentralization promises freedom from gatekeepers, the infrastructure to achieve it—like advanced hardware and global networks—often remains under the control of centralized entities, creating a critical dependency.
    • Regulatory Resistance: Governments and institutions view decentralized systems as threats to economic and political stability, leading to stringent regulations that stifle innovation and adoption.
    • Economic Inequities: Even within the decentralized ecosystem, early adopters and those with resources often dominate, raising questions about whether true decentralization can overcome systemic inequalities.

    Building at scale

    Critical Mass Moments

    For transformative technologies to achieve widespread adoption, they must reach a critical mass. This occurs when the benefits of adoption outweigh the costs for the majority of users, creating a self-sustaining cycle of growth.

    Blockchain’s critical mass moment might emerge from a global financial crisis that exposes the vulnerabilities of centralized banking. Similarly, AI’s decentralization could be catalyzed by advancements in edge computing, which distribute AI capabilities across networks rather than concentrating them in data centers.

    However, achieving this tipping point will likely require grassroots movements and significant societal shifts. Civil uprisings, like those seen during the Arab Spring or recent protests against economic inequality, could create the momentum needed for these technologies to flourish outside centralized control.

    Speculating the Future

    Imagine a world where decentralized AI and blockchain systems coexist seamlessly. In this vision, individuals manage their own data through blockchain-enabled identity systems, while decentralized AI provides insights and services tailored to their needs. Governments and corporations, no longer monopolizing these technologies, would be forced to operate transparently and equitably.

    Such a future is not without risks. The same tools that empower individuals could be weaponized by bad actors. Decentralized systems must balance openness with safeguards against misuse, a challenge that requires innovation and vigilance.

    Capitalism and Decentralized Technologies: A Symbiotic Future

    Decentralized technologies and capitalism need not be at odds; they can evolve together to create more equitable markets. By decentralizing access to resources and eliminating intermediaries, blockchain technologies could empower small businesses and entrepreneurs to compete on a global scale. Smart contracts can reduce transaction costs and increase trust, while tokenized economies could unlock new models for funding and profit-sharing, fostering innovation without monopolistic dominance. Rather than eroding capitalism, decentralization could refine it, making it more inclusive and efficient.

    “Capitalism is not the problem; monopolies are. Decentralized systems offer the tools to restore competition and innovation to their rightful place.”

    Quote adapted from Milton Friedman (1912–2006)

    Challenges to Utopia

    While the vision of a decentralized future is compelling, it is not guaranteed. Startups working on decentralized AI or blockchain solutions often face immense pressure to sell their technologies to larger corporations, undermining the very principles they aim to uphold. Moreover, economic instability and political unrest can be leveraged by centralized powers to justify crackdowns on these emerging technologies.

    The current landscape of hyperinflation, regulatory pushback, and geopolitical conflict suggests that we are already in a state of flux. Whether this instability accelerates decentralization or entrenches existing systems further remains to be seen.

    An Open-Ended Reflection

    As blockchain and AI continue to evolve, the question is not just whether these technologies can decentralize power but whether society is prepared to embrace such a shift. Can grassroots movements and technological innovation outpace the efforts of centralized entities to maintain control? Or are these technologies destined to be co-opted, their transformative potential diminished?

    The answers lie in the choices we make—as individuals, communities, and global citizens. The future of decentralization is unwritten, and its success depends on a collective willingness to challenge the status quo and reimagine what is possible.

    Photo by Pavel Danilyuk, Photo by cottonbro studio, Photo by Matheus Bertelli, Photo by Laura Musikanski