Opinion by Dr. Richard Blythman, Co-Founder at Naptha.AI
Since the groundbreaking moment of generative artificial intelligence in 2022, there has been an increasing interest in combining AI and crypto technologies to create innovative solutions for one another’s critical issues.
The Rise of AI-Crypto Ambitions
Many ambitious projects have emerged, proposing that blockchain verification can solve the proliferation of fake images generated by AI, while AI can detect protocol threats on blockchains. Despite this heightened interest and experimentation in both fields, the ‘AI-blockchain killer use case’ remains elusive.
The Failure of AI-Crypto Projects
It’s astonishing that despite numerous attempts over the past two years, hardly any AI-crypto companies have stuck around. This isn’t because their products weren’t valuable or didn’t represent good ideas; instead, it stems from critical issues faced by these companies and their senior teams.
Incentivizing AI Developers: The Key to Success
To avoid the fate of failed ventures, it’s essential for people who want to succeed in this space to reassess their perspective on what incentivizes AI developers. It’s time to move beyond financial rewards and start thinking about how technology might change the world.
Misguided Incentives in Decentralized AI
Incentivization aligns user behavior with product goals, but it doesn’t resonate with AI developers’ core motivations. Financial rewards don’t work well for AI developers because they do not align with their technologist-driven approach to innovation.
The Importance of Purpose-Driven Incentives
AI developers are pure technologists who believe that the technology they’re building has the potential to shape the future. They view their work as essential and are concerned about infrastructure failures or security breaches, which might deter them from contributing to decentralized projects.
Financial Rewards vs. Collaboration and Recognition
In contrast to traditional blockchain projects, where token-based incentives drive engagement, AI developers prioritize collaboration, recognition, and long-term societal impact over financial motivation. To build a robust team of developers for the right reasons, we need to create more effective incentive structures that align with their unique motivations.
A New Approach: Collaboration and Recognition
Decentralized AI can position itself as a transformative movement by emphasizing purpose-driven incentives such as collaboration, recognition, and a shared vision for societal change. This requires moving away from tokenomics and financial incentives, which often alienate talent and create a culture of isolation.
The Potential of Decentralized AI
Decentralized AI has the potential to harness two significant technological innovations: blockchain and artificial intelligence. With an expected market size of $3.718 billion by 2033, this decade is up for the taking.
Conclusion
To succeed in decentralized AI, it’s essential to understand what drives AI developers and create more effective incentive structures that emphasize collaboration, recognition, and long-term societal impact. By doing so, we can build a robust team of developers who are invested in shaping the future through innovative technology.
About the Author
Dr. Richard Blythman is an early innovator in AI/crypto, co-founding Algovera in 2021. He is a co-founder and chief scientific officer of Naptha.AI, a platform that orchestrates multiple AI agents to optimize performance and drive innovation.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice. The views expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
