Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePin) are transforming the tech by enabling decentralized projects in real-world infrastructure.

Here’s what happened recently in the DePIN sector: io.net and Flock.io began collaborating on the Proof-of-AI, Aethir partnered with Auros to enhance ATH token transactions, and Space and Time (SxT) secured a $20 million investment round to further develop its AI and blockchain integration.

io.net to Launch Proof-of-AI Consensus

io.net and Flock.io have teamed up to create Proof of AI (PoAI), an AI-focused Proof of Work and consensus mechanism. This system requires nodes in decentralized networks to complete AI training tasks to verify their integrity. Nodes that successfully perform these tasks can earn rewards from both DePIN and AI training networks.

PoAI operates by continuously challenging nodes with tasks, gathering their responses, and providing critical data (e.g., latency, score deviation, and data correctness) to form assessments. This mechanism ensures that nodes function properly and contribute to AI training in a meaningful way.

“The introduction of Proof of AI will bring significant improvements in AI model training and inference over decentralized compute networks. I’m confident GPU node operators and the broader AI/ML developer community will embrace Proof of AI enthusiastically — we certainly have,” io.net CEO and Co-founder Tory Green said.

Read more: What Is DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks)?

Flock is responsible for providing ongoing challenges, such as generating synthetic data through inference on large language models (LLMs), which helps determine the expected behavior from GPU devices based on factors like TFLOPS and VRAM. This process allows decentralized AI ecosystem providers to verify the honesty of participants in their networks and maintain high-quality AI training inputs.

The PoAI service will create a self-sustaining cycle linking Flock’s decentralized training platform with AI-focused DePIN platforms. Over time, Flock plans to expand PoAI’s verification capabilities to include not only compute tasks but also AI training and federated learning. There are even discussions about the potential for a dedicated AI blockchain in the future.

Aethir Partners with Auros to Boost ATH Token Transaction Efficiency

Aethir, a leading provider of GPUs-as-a-service, has partnered with Auros, a top crypto-native algorithmic trading firm, to boost transparency and efficiency in ATH token transactions for Aethir’s decentralized cloud computing infrastructure. This partnership aims to tackle the common challenge of transaction transparency and efficiency as enterprises transition to decentralized cloud computing. By implementing regular, on-chain transactions, both companies ensure every step is visible and verifiable.

Aethir reports $36 million in annual recurring revenue from enterprise clients, converting this into ATH tokens for computing services. This process builds trust within the Aethir community and among enterprise clients by providing clear insights into how ATH tokens power the ecosystem.

“Teaming up with Auros ensures our financial transactions are executed with transparency and efficiency.This enhances trust within our community and streamlines the integration process for our enterprise clients,” Aethir Co-Founder and CSO Mark Rydon said.

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Auros’ expertise plays a critical role in the partnership by ensuring ATH token purchases are executed efficiently, reducing costs, and maximizing value. As a result of this collaboration, Aethir has successfully onboarded major players in telecommunications, gaming, and publishing into its decentralized infrastructure. These enterprises can now access cloud gaming, cloud phone, and AI training services without the typical onboarding challenges.

Space and Time Secures $20 Million Funding

Space and Time (SxT) Labs has secured $20 million in Series A funding to strengthen its position at the intersection of AI and blockchain, bringing its total funding to $50 million. The round was led by Framework Ventures, Lightspeed Faction, and others, including Microsoft’s M12 Ventures. The funds will accelerate engineering, product development, and ecosystem growth.

SxT is building a verifiable compute layer and provides tools like blockchain indexing, a data warehouse, and the Proof of SQL ZK coprocessor to ensure secure, tamper-proof data processing. This technology allows developers to create advanced applications combining AI and blockchain.

“Blockchain technology lays the foundation for a future where anyone can build an application, deploy it to their community, and create a tokenized economy around it, without any centralized intermediaries like banks or governments in the way. But today, the design space for blockchain apps is still very limited. Realizing a better tokenized future requires two things: easy AI tools that allow anyone to build an onchain app, and a trusted source that provides ZK-verifiable, realtime data to your smart contracts. That’s what we’re delivering with Space and Time,” Space and Time CEO and Co-Founder Nate Holiday told BeInCrypto.

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SxT has partnered with Microsoft’s AI Co-Innovation Lab to accelerate generative AI tools, with a focus on developing AI-powered apps. The company’s work in blockchain and AI is seen as crucial by its investors, who believe it will drive new use cases in decentralized finance (DeFi), traditional finance (TradFi), and AI.

While DePIN is still in its early stages and has some flaws, it allows for the exchange of tokens between synthetic and real-world assets. This supports traditional infrastructure by providing last-mile coverage in areas where conventional models are not economically feasible.