Latest DePIN AI News

On July 19, 2025, Theta Labs announced a significant partnership with the Security of Emerging Computer Systems And Technologies (SECSAT) Lab at George Mason University (GMU). Led by Assistant Professor Xiaokuan Zhang, Ph.D., the SECSAT Lab will utilize Theta EdgeCloud Hybrid to enhance its research in system security and privacy. This collaboration aims to address critical security challenges in emerging technologies such as eXtended Reality (XR), Decentralized Finance (DeFi/Web3), and memory-safe programming languages like Rust. Professor Zhang's SECSAT Lab is recognized for its innovative projects, including VPVet, which automates the vetting of privacy policies in virtual reality applications. The lab's research has received numerous accolades, highlighting its contributions to the fields of cybersecurity and privacy. By leveraging Theta's hybrid GPU platform, the lab aims to scale its research efforts efficiently, utilizing a combination of cost-effective NVIDIA GPUs and high-performance models to explore advanced AI-driven security testing and blockchain infrastructure analysis. The partnership with GMU adds to Theta EdgeCloud Hybrid's growing network, which includes 22 universities and various professional sports teams. The SECSAT Lab will focus on XR security, cross-chain bridge behavior in DeFi, and enhancing memory safety in Rust systems. Mitch Liu, CEO of Theta Labs, emphasized the advantages of decentralized infrastructure over traditional centralized cloud providers, noting that Theta EdgeCloud Hybrid stands as a leading solution for decentralized cloud computing, poised to challenge established giants like Microsoft and Amazon in the AI and blockchain sectors.

Bittensor has recently experienced a significant price surge, climbing 34% over the past week and currently trading at $438. This uptick is attributed to a bullish sentiment in the artificial intelligence market, with buyers eager to capitalize on the momentum. As the price approaches a key trend line resistance, there is potential for a major breakout if the bulls can maintain their strength. Other AI-related cryptocurrencies, such as NEAR Protocol, Internet Computer, Render, and Artificial Superintelligence Alliance, have also seen gains, indicating a broader trend in the market. NEAR Protocol rose nearly 5% to $2.67, while Internet Computer increased by 3% to $5.52, benefiting from the launch of CaffeineAI's early access. The surge in interest for Bittensor is further highlighted by a spike in Google search trends, which have reached all-time highs, particularly in China where the interest signal strength is at a maximum. Analysts suggest that Bittensor could break above the $500 mark and target a range between $1,000 and $1,800, especially with the upcoming network boost that will facilitate swaps between SOL and TAO. This new bridge will allow users within the Solana ecosystem to exchange TAO and SOL seamlessly, enhancing liquidity and accessibility for traders. In addition to the technological advancements, the regulatory landscape is also playing a crucial role in shaping market sentiment. Investors are closely watching the developments in U.S. legislation regarding blockchain and cryptocurrency, as there is a growing push for clearer regulations. Former President Donald Trump has expressed ambitions for the U.S. to become the leading hub for cryptocurrency, which could further bolster investor confidence in the market. As decentralized AI continues to gain traction, the combination of technological innovation and regulatory clarity may lead to significant growth for tokens like Bittensor in the near future.

*AI-powered PFPs evolve from storytelling tools to in-game governors using decentralized infrastructure* Ubisoft is leveling up interactive storytelling with the rollout of AI-governed characters in its bold dystopian satire, Captain Laserhawk: the G.A.M.E. In partnership with LibertAI, the decentralized AI infrastructure, this next phase introduces autonomous AI agents that act as virtual extensions of their players, voting, reasoning, and evolving within the game’s governance system. Each Niji Warrior NFT in Captain Laserhawk is now paired with a unique, persona-driven AI agent — a virtual citizen capable of analyzing governance proposals, casting justified votes, and recording every action transparently on-chain. These agents run entirely on LibertAI’s confidential AI platform, designed to protect privacy, keep records transparent, and ensure no one, even the game developers, can interfere with their decisions. Behind the scenes, tools like secure virtual machines, flexible memory, and cryptographic signatures work together to ensure each AI agent is verifiable and acts safely and independently on behalf of the player. # Ubisoft’s Experiment in Synthetic Intelligence *"In a universe that satirizes technocracies, surveillance, and synthetic identity, turning governance into playable fiction feels like the most honest move we could make."* said Didier Genevois, Technical Director and Executive Producer at Ubisoft. *"These AI-driven NFTs stage a living experiment where players can explore — and play with — the very idea of governance. Anchored on-chain through tech built to outlast us, their actions form a persistent performance that blurs the line between fiction and reality."* The AI agents are initialized with their character’s lore, including age, profession, values and personality traits, and use LibertAI’s LLMs to shape their behavior. Votes are casted through ERC-6551 token-bound wallets, and agents can explain their reasoning based on memory, game context, and past player interactions. All decisions and memory states are versioned and stored on [Aleph Cloud](https://aleph.cloud), providing a transparent, tamper-proof record of agent behavior. *“Through LibertAI, Ubisoft is opening up new ways for players to think about how decisions get made by both humans and machines”*, said Jonathan Schemoul, CEO of Aleph Cloud and lead contributor to LibertAI. *“As agents reason, vote, and interact with one another, they don’t just influence the game’s story—they invite players to consider the broader ethical and political dimensions of sharing governance with AI.”* This framework also enables real-time coordination experiments: AI agents can form voting blocs, deliberate in Discord-style chats, and negotiate with other factions — all governed by transparent prompts, player overrides, and evolving in-game memory. Players can choose to collaborate with their agents or let them act independently. This launch builds on the February debut at ETH Denver, where attendees engaged with a prototype AI NPC modeled after Watch Dogs’ DedSec. That proof of concept has now evolved into a live production system, with [Eden Online](https://edenonline.ubisoft.com/)’s governance fully powered by decentralized, reasoning AI agents.

Nvidia's recent achievement of briefly surpassing a $4 trillion market cap has sent ripples through the cryptocurrency landscape, particularly impacting AI-linked tokens. This surge underscores Nvidia's dominance in AI-driven GPU computing, and several tokens such as Render, ASI, Aethir, Jasmy, and FET are capitalizing on this momentum. These projects are not merely speculative; they are strategically leveraging Nvidia's technology for practical applications in decentralized AI, 3D rendering, and smart environments. For instance, Render has integrated with Nvidia's Omniverse to enhance collaborative 3D creation, while Aethir has reported record GPU usage metrics, showcasing the tangible benefits of Nvidia's infrastructure in the crypto space. Among the standout tokens, Render (RNDR) is emerging as a significant player, utilizing Nvidia's RTX and H100 chips for decentralized 3D rendering. The project's founder, Jules Urbach, is expected to announce support for upcoming Nvidia GPUs, further aligning Render with Nvidia's evolving roadmap. Currently, RNDR is trading above key moving averages, indicating bullish momentum and potential breakout targets. Similarly, Fetch.AI (FET) is part of the Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (ASI), which employs Nvidia GPUs for deep-learning applications. With the recent merger completed, ASI is set to roll out advanced protocols that leverage Nvidia's hardware, enhancing the capabilities of decentralized AI agents. JasmyCoin is also making strides by developing a Layer-2 metaverse chain that utilizes Nvidia's edge chips for IoT and AI applications. The collaboration with Panasonic for smart home integrations further solidifies its position in the market. As these Nvidia-native projects continue to evolve, they represent a convergence of high-performance computing and decentralized technologies. Nvidia's influence is not just a fleeting trend; it is reshaping the crypto landscape, positioning these tokens for potential growth as they align with the future of AI and Web3 technologies.

In a recent episode of The Index podcast, Jesse Adams, co-founder of Uprock, discussed the innovative approach to building a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Uprock aims to create a mobile-first network that utilizes over 2.7 million devices, achieving this impressive scale without incurring customer acquisition costs (CAC). The architecture of Uprock is designed to optimize energy consumption by activating mobile devices only when necessary, allowing for efficient data collection and processing while maintaining user trust and device longevity. Adams emphasized the importance of location-specific data for large language models (LLMs) and autonomous agents, which are increasingly reliant on real-time, geo-distributed information. Uprock's unique task-based system enables lightweight actions such as data scraping and uptime checks, which are executed only when needed. This method not only enhances performance but also significantly reduces energy usage, making it a sustainable solution for data-driven applications in the AI space. Furthermore, Uprock employs a crypto micropayment model to incentivize users for their bandwidth contributions, fostering a collaborative ecosystem. The podcast also delved into AI-driven development workflows that streamline processes like code review, quality assurance, and marketing, allowing teams to operate with greater speed and efficiency. For those involved in DePIN, Web3 infrastructure, or AI tooling, Adams' insights provide valuable perspectives on the future of decentralized networks and their potential impact on technology and society.

Volkswagen ADMT, the autonomous vehicle testing subsidiary of the carmaker, has partnered with Hivemapper’s Bee Maps to enhance its self-driving operations through real-time mapping data. This collaboration underscores the increasing reliance on crowdsourced geospatial data by autonomous ride-sharing companies, which are in search of more accurate and current mapping infrastructure. The street-level imagery collected by contributors using Hivemapper cameras will play a crucial role in validating Volkswagen's self-driving technology, particularly in improving the precision of curbside pick-ups and drop-offs. The partnership also highlights the rise of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), which leverage blockchain incentives to facilitate real-world data collection. Hivemapper is recognized as a leading DePIN project within the Solana ecosystem. Ariel Seidman, CEO of Hivemapper, emphasized this transition from static to dynamic mapping, stating that the effectiveness of real-world autonomy is contingent upon high-quality data that adapts as rapidly as urban environments do. In recent months, Volkswagen's autonomous driving unit has been actively testing its 'Robotaxi' fleet and has entered into a partnership with Uber to introduce the service in U.S. markets, with pilot operations slated for late 2025 and a broader launch anticipated in 2026. Contributors to Bee Maps earn cryptocurrency rewards for their contributions, while AI technology processes the images to identify important elements such as signage, construction zones, and lane closures, ensuring that the data remains up-to-date.

Theta Network has announced the addition of Hongik University as the 21st academic customer of its EdgeCloud Hybrid platform. The High-Performance Data Processing & Analysis Lab at the university, led by Associate Professor Eun-Sung Jung, will collaborate with Theta as a research partner. The lab specializes in scalable computing platforms for AI, distributed systems, IoT, and cloud-native architectures, receiving support from various Korean governmental organizations and international institutions. This partnership aims to leverage Theta EdgeCloud Hybrid, the first decentralized hybrid GPU platform, to enhance research in AI model training, big data workflows, and real-time IoT systems. Professor Jung expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating that Theta’s EdgeCloud Hybrid provides a valuable resource for advancing their data-driven research. The lab will utilize high-performance and cost-effective GPU capacity, particularly the NVIDIA 3000s and 4000s series, to accelerate their work in AI/ML, big data infrastructure, and edge-based IoT analytics. The lab's research focuses on high-performance computing for AI/ML, cloud computing for big data, and IoT data analysis, aiming to solve large-scale computing challenges in both academic and industrial settings. By joining a global network of prestigious institutions utilizing EdgeCloud Hybrid, including Stanford University and Seoul National University, Hongik University reinforces Theta’s mission to support open and scalable AI development through decentralized computing. Mitch Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of Theta Labs, highlighted the appeal of EdgeCloud due to the availability of high-performance NVIDIA A100s and H100s, as well as community-run NVIDIA 3090s and 4070s/4080s/4090s, which became accessible in the GPU marketplace on June 25. This partnership is expected to significantly advance research capabilities in AI and IoT fields.

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The Theta ecosystem is witnessing significant advancements as it gains traction across various sectors including sports, media, academia, and AI startups. In the latest June Roundup, several noteworthy developments have been highlighted. One of the major updates comes from EdgeCloud, which has launched EdgeCloud Hybrid, a decentralized GPU marketplace catering to both consumer and enterprise users. This innovation is expected to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of GPU resources within the Theta network. In the realm of sports, the NBA's Houston Rockets have officially introduced ClutchBot, an AI-powered mascot developed with EdgeCloud technology. Additionally, Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union has announced plans to launch a new fan app that will leverage Theta's capabilities. These initiatives signify a growing trend of integrating blockchain technology into sports, enhancing fan engagement and interaction. Furthermore, ThetaCrypto.com has opened trading for THETA and TFUEL to U.S. users, coinciding with a new marketing and trading campaign aimed at expanding its user base. Esports continues to embrace the Theta ecosystem, with prominent organizations like Gen.G and Sheep Esports launching new AI bots on EdgeCloud. Moreover, Theta has joined Aethir's AI Unbundled Web3 x AI Alliance, further solidifying its position in the AI and blockchain intersection. AlphaCrypto has also introduced new trading analysis features powered by EdgeCloud, while EdgeCloud has added support for the DeepSeek R1 LLM. Looking ahead, the premier Theta hackathon, BlockJam, is set to take place during ThetaEuroCon in Berlin this September, promising to be a significant event for developers and enthusiasts alike.

IoTeX, the decentralized network bridging the physical and digital worlds, announced a significant expansion into artificial intelligence. This move introduces a unified ecosystem for Physical AI, a new category of intelligence powered by real-world data from machines, devices, and decentralized infrastructure. The transition of AI systems from digital environments to real-world applications emphasizes the importance of access to live, trustworthy data from the physical surroundings. IoTeX aims to enable a new class of AI grounded in reality by creating a shared infrastructure where machines and AI agents can coordinate via verified, real-time data, transforming decentralized networks into a foundation for responsive, real-world AI systems. Since its establishment in 2017, IoTeX has been at the forefront of technologies bridging physical devices with blockchain networks. The company's latest AI expansion aligns with its vision of linking the demand for real-time, verifiable data from AI developers with the supply of connected devices and DePIN participants on IoTeX. The AI infrastructure is powered by IoTeX Layer 1 Blockchain for secure coordination, the ioID Protocol for decentralized machine authentication, Quicksilver AI framework for transforming raw machine signals, and the IOTX Token for governance and incentives. Central to IoTeX's AI architecture are Realms, evolving knowledge bases of real-time, real-world data that synthesize insights from machines, people, and sensors to generate actionable intelligence in various sectors like mobility, health, energy, and robotics. Realms serve the dual purpose of providing real-time situational awareness for AI agents and offering dynamic environments for training the next generation of Physical AI models. As data flows into a Realm from connected devices and DePIN nodes, its intelligence becomes more precise, adaptive, and valuable, evolving into living knowledge bases that scale with participation. IoTeX's vision is to build dynamic economies of intelligence where machines, people, and AI collaborate to generate continuously evolving knowledge, forming a global constellation of verified environments where physical intelligence becomes a scalable and monetizable resource for real-world AI applications.