AI is all the rage now.
It is so hot some are wondering if we are in a bubble. This is something that I analyzed and, based upon the basics such as computing, this is not the case. Of course, the stock of a company such as NVIDIA might be overpriced but the basics of where things are heading is solid.
LLMs have gotten on people's radar. Due to the success of chatbots, many are calling for this to be the path to AGI. Whether it is or not remains to be seen.
Whatever the eventual outcome, we cannot help but to notice a major concern growing. The space is being dominated by major technology companies. This alone is something to raise alarm. However, there is another component to it which causes me to look harder at blockchain.
Blockchain Is The Solution To The AI Power Grab
There is a valuable lesson provided by Sam Altman and OpenAi.
Last fall, there was a dispute where Altman was fired by the board. This was a power struggle which resulted in a new board being put in place, along with the reinstatement of Altman.
This was the most obvious of power grabs. Unfortunately, it is not the only one.
Most are vying to be the one in the "winner take most" game. It is believed the company that first achieves AGI will have an insurmountable lead due to the fact that it will be advancing faster than everyone else.
As the circle of power gets tighter, this puts humanity in the position of having to rely upon the benevolence of those who are in charge. In this situation, it is going to be some technology company, a story we all have seen.
For this reason, it is time to accelerate the conversation about decentralizing and distributing AI. We cannot how this only in the hands of a few mega-technology players.
Blockchain offers the potential to handle a few different variable which are essential. This is a step forward on the path towards pushing power towards the edges.
The basic characteristics of blockchain provide inputs that can aid in this effort.
Distributing AI
Why do I discuss data so often?
Simply put, data sets are the infrastructure for AI systems. If we break it down, these models are nothing more than data wrapped in algorithms while adding in compute. This is the basis from what all are creating.
Therefore, who controls the data and how it is utilized is vital.
Here is where blockchain enters. Not only does it offer the potential to store data in a decentralized manner, but it is to provide features that are a required part of the solution.
For example, when we look at distributing AI, there are a few criteria worthy of discussion. They are:
- accessibility and availability of the data
- governance
- how it all comes together
We can see where blockchain provides an immediate solution to the first two.
Data that is placed on a decentralized, public blockchain is available to anyone. The private key system also answers the identification problem. Anyone with a key can engage with the datasets, regardless of what others think.
This also could be the basis for a digital ID system, something that is also going to be needed.
We also see an assortment of governance models being utilized. This is, for the most part, tied to stake, with voting systems implemented. Thus network participants including users, developers, and investors all have voting rights. It is a much different mechanism as compared to what OpenAI operates under.
The third one is a lot cloudier.
We do not know how convergence evolves. Therefore, the relationship between what is being created and where it impacts is unknown. This is true for the entire space. Nobody has the answer to what is going to happen.
For this reason, blockchain is crucial. With the unknown, the best defense is resiliency. This comes from decentralization. Here is where the edge becomes so important. It is crucial that agents start operating to prevent centralized control.
Fortunately, technology is likely to assist in this effort. In a couple years, the training of something like LlaMa3 will be $10K as opposed to the millions of dollars it costs today.
The question of nefarious actors can also be addressed with blockchain, at least partially.
Transparency
Much of the AI world is still hidden. open source is a step in the right direction yet it does not offer the complete solution.
With a few major players operating as the honeypot, we see how we are recreating Web 2.0, only with more powerful technology.
Many question the morality of these companies. This is a useless exercise. Companies, along with governments, are amoral. They are not going to factor this into the equation. Thinking otherwise is akin to believing elephants are going to fly. For decades the hope is they will, but they do not.
For this reason, protections need to be built. By distributing the power to the edge, we see a shift. Instead of a system controlled by a few actors who have differing motives, we have one designed to have the influence in the hands of those affected by the decisions.
What we are essentially looking at is inserting humans at the core of all this. Considering how the data is the input, by distributing it across a large number of open networks, we effectively are creating a human operating system.
No longer are we looking at a Skynet version of AI. At the same time, we are overcoming an oligarchy of AI companies that provide enormous power to a small number of people at the top of these entities.
Data availability means the infrastructure of AI is open to any development team that is interested in building. These systems can be tied to blockchains in a manner that also empowers the edge.
Arms Race
If the projections of some are correct, we are looking at a window of a couple years. This is where the race will be won.
OpenAI is the poster child for this battle and there is a lot of speculation as to what they have cooking behind the scenes. They are, naturally, not the only player. When the likes of Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Amazon are involved, we know there is a lot of technological power (and money) being tossed around. This is to say nothing about what the Chinese counterparts are doing.
If we step back, we can see how this is still breaking down along geographic lines. How often have you heard about the input of the Africans or South Americans in this discussion?
The answer is they are not part of the present equation. Anyone outside the small groups associated with these major platforms is on the outisde.
This is where Web 3.0 has to step in. Through blockchain technology, the power structure can be shifted. It is a goal that all associated with the industry have to start thinking about.
Ultimately, the greatest benefit of Web 3.0 to humanity could be the distribution and decentralization of AI.
After all, as the power of the technology increases, we need to make sure the power that a few are holding decreases.
Posted Using InLeo Alpha