Web3-AI?
The Web3-AI space, which combines blockchain technology with artificial intelligence, is currently a hot topic in the cryptocurrency world. It offers great potential but is also surrounded by a lot of hype. Many Web3-AI projects have high valuations but lack practical applications, riding on the coattails of traditional AI's success.
There is a growing gap between AI capabilities in Web2 (traditional internet) and Web3 (blockchain-based internet). Despite this, recent developments in AI suggest there's value in more decentralized approaches.
The market is currently overhyped and overfunded, disconnected from the realities of the AI industry. However, there are areas where Web3 could potentially add significant value to AI. The challenge is to see past the hype and focus on practical applications.
Some of the overhyped trends in Web3-AI include:
1. Decentralized infrastructure for AI training, which is currently impractical for large-scale AI models.
2. Combining zero-knowledge proofs with AI, which faces computational challenges.
3. Proof-of-inference systems, which lack real-world use cases.
However, there are also promising areas:
1. AI agents with cryptocurrency wallets, enabling new forms of AI collaboration and task execution.
2. Using cryptocurrency mechanisms to fund open-source AI research.
3. Developing smaller AI models that can run on decentralized systems.
4. Using blockchain networks to generate synthetic data for AI training.
Other potential areas include verifying human-generated content, AI evaluation and benchmarking, and human-centric AI training methods.
Taking Action...
Here are some tools/platforms to pay attention to for testing and taking advantage of opportunities:
1. Small Foundation Models:
Look for platforms developing or implementing small language models (SLMs) or other small foundation models that can run on decentralized infrastructure. These might include projects adapting models like Microsoft's Phi or creating new, efficient models specifically for Web3 environments.
2. Agent-based Systems with Crypto Integration:
Keep an eye on platforms developing AI agents that can interact with cryptocurrency wallets or blockchain networks. These might include decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) tools or AI-powered DeFi platforms.
3. Crypto Funding Platforms for AI:
Watch for platforms that use cryptocurrency mechanisms (like token incentives or airdrops) to fund open-source AI projects. This could include decentralized science (DeSci) platforms or AI-focused DAOs.
4. Synthetic Data Generation:
Look for tools that use blockchain or token incentives to coordinate the creation of synthetic datasets for AI training. This might involve decentralized data marketplaces or collaborative data generation platforms.
5. Proof-of-Human Systems:
Keep an eye on platforms developing blockchain-based solutions for verifying human-generated content, which could be crucial in combating AI-generated misinformation.
6. Decentralized AI Evaluation and Benchmarking:
Watch for tools that leverage blockchain's transparency to create trusted AI model evaluation systems.
7. Human-centric AI Fine-tuning:
Look for platforms implementing decentralized versions of reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF) or similar human-in-the-loop AI training methods.
8. On-device AI:
Keep track of projects working on AI models that can run efficiently on mobile devices or other edge computing platforms, as these align well with Web3's decentralization ethos.
To stay informed and find testing opportunities:
1. Join developer communities and forums focused on Web3 and AI.
2. Participate in hackathons that combine blockchain and AI elements.
3. Follow and contribute to open-source projects in this space on platforms like GitHub.
4. Attend conferences and webinars focused on the intersection of blockchain and AI.
5. Experiment with testnet versions of promising Web3-AI platforms.
Remember, the field is rapidly evolving, so staying active in the community and being willing to experiment with new tools.
Reach out to discuss your options
