In a groundbreaking announcement, Digital Currency Group (DCG) has unveiled Yuma, a new enterprise designed to support and propel the development of Bittensor. This decentralized, open network empowers anyone to create, train, and access artificial intelligence. Barry Silbert, a visionary in the tech industry, has introduced this ambitious project as a subsidiary with aspirations to rival giants like Google and OpenAI in the AI domain.
The Decentralized Version of AI
Yuma’s aspirations for decentralized AI are deeply intertwined with Bittensor, a blockchain initiative that first emerged in 2021. Bittensor incentivizes individuals with tokens to contribute to a collaborative network of AI services. The platform is a decentralized, open-source network that invites users to provide computational power for running diverse AI models. Participants are rewarded through TAO token payouts, encouraging them to engage fully in this innovative process. The network is structured to support independent subnets, allowing computational power to be directed toward specific subjects.
Jacob Steeves, co-founder of Bittensor, highlighted the project’s mission: “We created Bittensor to offer a competitive alternative to the top-down world that limits access to high-powered AI capabilities. We’re championing open access to technology liberated from conventional gatekeepers so that we can ensure the AI revolution is accessible to the next generation of visionaries shaping our world.”
Under the leadership of DCG Founder and CEO Barry Silbert, Yuma equips startups and enterprises with the necessary capital, infrastructure, and technical resources to explore and innovate on the Bittensor platform. This initiative is a full-scale commitment to a decentralized AI paradigm, distributing this powerful technology across a diverse network of independent contributors rather than relying on a single massive tech entity to deliver the service.
Silbert drew parallels to the early days of Bitcoin, stating, “Just like the early days of Bitcoin, which fueled the development of a new form of transparent, borderless money, we’re moving from the digital ownership of assets to the decentralized ownership of intelligence.”
Empowering Change
Yuma offers a comprehensive suite of resources for startups and enterprises, including financial support, technical expertise, and operational assistance, all aimed at deploying innovative concepts onto the Bittensor network. Silbert stressed, “By supporting world-changing projects that advance decentralized intelligence, Yuma will shift the transformative power of AI and machine learning away from centralized companies to an open and accessible resource for all people.”
Yuma’s primary focus is on fostering a network of decentralized intelligence and computing services, which Bittensor refers to as “subnets.” These subnets function similarly to applications, and Yuma is currently nurturing around 60 of them, with expectations for exponential growth soon, potentially reaching thousands.
Presently, Yuma boasts five live subnets. Four of these have successfully navigated the accelerator program, while one has emerged through incubation. Additionally, nine more subnets are currently in development, with an anticipated launch in the coming weeks. Among these, one is in incubation, whereas the rest are advancing through the accelerator program.
