Sam Altman’s World project raised $135 million from a16z and Bain Capital Crypto to build decentralized AI infrastructure. The funding will develop a tokenized compute marketplace where users rent GPU power using crypto. This merges two hot sectors – AI and blockchain – with potential to disrupt cloud computing.
The project uses proof-of-work consensus to verify AI model training, addressing concerns about synthetic media provenance. Early tests show 40% cost savings versus AWS for ML workloads. Tokens grant access to premium models like GPT-5, creating demand beyond speculative trading.
Critics question energy demands of combining AI and blockchain, but Altman claims the system uses wasted renewable capacity. The raise signals continued VC interest in convergence projects despite crypto winter, with AI-blockchain startups securing $2.1 billion YTD.
