The GPU shortage will drive mainstream adoption of Web3 infrastructure and AI and Web3 are not in competition, they need each other like peanut butter and jelly are two key statements that demonstrate the importance of the relationship between AI and Web3. High-end graphics processing units (GPUs) are expensive and have a constrained supply, making them out of reach for many startups. Decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) offer the solution to the GPU shortage and data challenges faced by AI startups, and will make AI and Web3 go mainstream for two reasons: access and safety.
Despite existing for nearly a decade, use of Web3 has remained limited to a narrow audience of crypto believers. This is because mainstream users don’t have a strong enough need for them, and Web2 platforms have powerful network effects that lock users in. AI will lead to a breakout moment for Web3 infrastructure because these protocols offer solutions to the GPU shortage and data challenges faced by AI startups. Protocols like Akash provide decentralized marketplaces for GPU owners to rent their resources, democratizing AI innovation.
File storage protocols like Arweave disrupt the data oligopoly by providing a one-time-payment model for permanent data storage. Open source frameworks like zkML offer cryptographic proofs for AI models, verifying they were trained on specific datasets, thus enhancing the credibility of the output. DePIN provides the antidote for both trustworthy code and the physical infrastructure networks on which it runs, and offers better access and features at lower costs to AI startups.
AI and Web3 are not in competition, but rather need each other to drive mainstream adoption. This behind-the-scenes integration will introduce users to the benefits of the decentralized web, providing a seamless experience that helps to overcome the traditional hurdles of Web3 adoption.