The **Crypto x AI landscape** can be segmented into the following layers: 1. **Compute** (i.e., networks focused on supplying latent graphics processing units (GPUs) to AI developers) 2. **Data** (i.e., networks that enable decentralized access, orchestration, and verifiability of the AI data pipeline), 3. **Middleware** (i.e., networks/platforms that enable the development, deployment, and hosting of AI models / agents), and 4. **Applications** (i.e., user-facing products (B2B or B2C) that leverage onchain AI mechanisms) ### 1. Compute Emerging segments and sample projects building at this layer include the following: - **General-purpose Compute:** Decentralized compute marketplaces that provide GPU computing resources that can be used for a variety of applications (e.g., [Akash](https://akash.network/), [Aethir](https://aethir.com/)) - **AI / ML Compute:** Decentralized compute networks that provide GPU computing resources for a specific service, such as GPU aggregators, distributed training and inference, GPU tokenization, etc (e.g., [io.net](http://io.net), [Gensyn](https://www.gensyn.ai/), [Prime Intellect](https://www.primeintellect.ai/), [Hyperbolic](https://hyperbolic.xyz/), [Hyperspace](https://hyper.space/)) - **Edge Compute:** Compute and storage networks that power on-device LLMs for personal, contextualized inference (e.g., [PIN AI](https://www.pinai.io/), [Exo](https://x.com/exolabs_), [Crynux.ai](https://crynux.ai/), [Edge Matrix](https://emc.network/)) ### 2. Data Emerging segments and sample projects building at this layer include the following: - **Data Marketplaces:** Decentralized data exchange protocols designed for data providers and consumers to share and trade data assets (e.g., [Ocean Protocol](https://oceanprotocol.com/), [Masa](https://www.masa.ai/), [Sahara AI](https://www.saharalabs.ai/)) - **User-owned / Private Data (incl. DataDAOs):** Networks designed for incentivizing the collection of proprietary datasets, including private user-owned data (e.g., [Vana](https://www.vana.org/)*, [NVG8](https://nvg8.io/)) - **Public & Synthetic Data:** Networks / platforms for scraping data from public websites or generating new datasets via natural language prompts (e.g., [Dria](https://dria.co/), [Mizu](https://mizu.global/), [Grass](https://www.getgrass.io/), [Synesis One](https://www.synesis.one/)) - **Data Intelligence Tools:** Platforms and applications designed to query, analyze, visualize, and provide actionable insights on onchain data (e.g., [Nansen](https://www.nansen.ai/)*, [Dune](https://dune.com/home)*, [Arkham](https://www.arkhamintelligence.com/), [Messari](https://messari.io/)*) - **Data Storage:** File storage networks intended for long-term data storage / archiving and relational database networks designed for managing structured data that is accessed and updated frequently (e.g., [Filecoin](https://filecoin.io/), [Arweave](https://www.arweave.org/)*, [Ceramic](https://ceramic.network/)*, [Tableland](https://tableland.xyz/)*) - **Data Orchestration / Provenance:** Networks and platforms that optimize data ingestion pipelines and processing for AI and data-intensive applications and ensure proper provenance tracking and verifiable authenticity of AI-generated content (e.g., [Space and Time](https://www.spaceandtime.io/), [The Graph](https://thegraph.com/)*, [Story Protocol](https://www.story.foundation/)) - **Data Labeling:** Networks and platforms that improve reinforcement learning and fine-tuning mechanisms for AI models by incentivizing a distributed network of human contributors to create high-quality training datasets (e.g., [Sapien](https://www.sapien.io/), [Kiva AI](https://www.kivaai.com/), [Fraction.AI](http://Fraction.AI)) - **Oracles:** Networks that use AI to provide verifiable offchain data for onchain smart contract (e.g., [Ora](https://www.ora.io/), [OpenLayer](https://www.openlayer.tech/), [Chainlink](https://chain.link/)) ### 3. Middleware Emerging segments and sample projects building at this layer include the following: - **Open-weight LLMs:** AI models whose weights are publicly accessible, allowing anyone to use, modify, and distribute them freely (e.g., [LLama3](https://llama.meta.com/), [Mistral](https://mistral.ai/), [Stability AI](https://stability.ai/)) - **Onchain Model Creators:** Networks and platforms enabling the creation of foundational LLMs for onchain use cases (e.g., [Pond](https://cryptopond.xyz/)*, [Nous](https://nousresearch.com/), [RPS](https://www.rpslabs.io/)) - **Training & Fine-tuning:** Networks and platforms that enable incentivized and verifiable training or fine-tuning mechanisms onchain (e.g., [Gensyn](https://www.gensyn.ai/), [Prime Intellect](https://www.primeintellect.ai/), [Macrocosmos](https://www.macrocosmos.ai/), [Flock.io](https://www.flock.io/)) - **Privacy:** Networks and platforms that employ privacy-preserving mechanisms for the development, training, and inference of AI models (e.g., [Bagel Network](https://www.bagel.net/), [Arcium](https://www.arcium.com/)*, [ZAMA](https://www.zama.ai/)) - **Inference Networks:** Networks that employ cryptographic techniques / proofs to verify the correctness of AI model outputs (e.g., [OpenGradient](https://x.com/OpenGradient)*, [Modulus Labs](https://www.moduluslabs.xyz/), [Giza](https://www.gizatech.xyz/), [Ritual](https://ritual.net/)) - **Resource Coordination Networks:** Networks designed to facilitate the resource sharing, collaboration, and coordination of AI model development (e.g., [Bittensor](https://bittensor.com/), [Near](https://near.org/)*, [Allora](https://www.allora.network/), [Sentient](https://sentient.foundation/)) - **Agentic Networks & Platforms:** Networks and platforms that facilitate the creation, deployment, and monetization of [[AI agents]] for both on/offchain environments (e.g., [Morpheus](https://mor.org/), [Olas](https://olas.network/), [Wayfinder](https://cache.wayfinder.ai/), [Payman](https://www.paymanai.com/)*, [Skyfire](https://skyfire.xyz/)*) ### **4. Applications** Emerging segments and sample projects building at this layer include the following: - **AI Companions:** Apps for creating, sharing, and monetizing user-owned AI models and  agents with personalized and contextual awareness (e.g., [MagnetAI](https://magnetai.xyz/), [MyShell](https://myshell.ai/), [Deva](https://www.deva.me/), [Virtuals Protocol](https://www.virtuals.io/)) - **NLP-based Interfaces:** Apps in which natural language prompts are the primary interface / entry point for interacting with and executing onchain transactions (e.g., [Venice.AI](http://Venice.AI), [Veldt](https://theveldt.ai/)) - **Dev / Security Tools:** Developer-facing apps/tools that leverage AI models / agents to enhance onchain developer experiences and security mechanisms (e.g., [ChainGPT](https://www.chaingpt.org/), [Guardrail](https://www.getguardrail.xyz/)*) - **Risk Agents:** Services that leverage ML models or AI agents to help protocols dynamically adjust and respond to onchain risk parameters in real-time (e.g., [Chaos Labs](https://chaoslabs.xyz/)*, [Gauntlet](https://www.gauntlet.xyz/)*, [Minerva](https://www.gominerva.com/)*) - **Identity (Proof of Personhood):** Apps that leverage cryptographic proofs and ML models to verify user’s proof of personhood. (e.g., [Worldcoin](https://worldcoin.org/)*) - **Governance:** Apps that leverage AI agents to execute transactions based on human-driven governance decisions / feedback (e.g., [Botto](https://www.botto.com/), [Hats](https://www.botto.com/)) - **Trading / DeFi:** AI-powered trading infrastructure and DeFi protocols that utilize AI agents to automate onchain transaction execution (e.g., [Taoshi](https://www.taoshi.io/), [Intent.Trade](http://Intent.Trade)) - **Gaming:** Onchain games that utilize intelligent NPCs or AI mechanisms to power core gameplay mechanics (e.g., [Parallel](https://parallel.life/colony/signup)*, [PlayAI](https://playai.network/)) - **Social:** Apps that utilize AI mechanisms to power onchain social experiences (e.g., [KaiKai](https://kaikai.ai/), [NFPrompt](https://nfprompt.io/)) Source: https://paragraph.xyz/@cbventures/demystifying-the-crypto-x-ai-stack