GPUtopia is a project that is attempting to combat the centralization of the AI industry by creating a globally distributed mesh network of GPU compute. The GPU mesh network will allow smaller players to train models and run inferences on one side of the market and GPU owners to monetize their idle compute on the other side of the market. Even better, participants in the GPUtopia marketplace will be able to buy and sell compute for sats over the lightning network. This is what a true cypherpunk response to the centralization pressures that have arisen over the last year as AI applications have gained significant traction.

For those of you who are unaware of the current dynamics of the AI landscape, there are currently two big themes playing out; the hoarding of GPUs by those who are well capitalized and a push by the larger and more established players in the industry like OpenAI and Anthropic to create a regulatory moat by lobbying the government to create AI licenses that are hard for start ups to acquire. This is very unfortunate to see. Especially when you consider how young the AI industry is and the vested interests that are major stakeholders in the largest players.

Luckily for us, the free market has come up with a solution to combat those who wish to unfairly dominate the AI landscape and bitcoin could play a major role. As we've explained in recent months, one of the most bullish underlying trends in bitcoin at the moment is the convergence of AI and the lightning network. GPUtopia is a perfect example of the power of this convergence. By combining a globally distributed mesh network of compute with a globally distributed peer-to-peer censorship resistant cash system, it will be extremely hard for larger incumbents to box out newcomers. And, more importantly, it will help enable open-source AI projects to compete with the closed-source AI companies that dominate today. There is no need for a dedicated blockchain token to serve this use case. Bitcoin over the lightning network serves it better than any altcoin ever could.

It's early days, but the fact that many bitcoiners recognize the symbiotic relationship that is possible between AI and lightning and are quickly moving to bring products to market is an encouraging sign. The future will be run on open-source software, distributed systems, and sound money.

Final thought...

My grandmother is one of the kindest people I have ever met in my life.