What VCs Want: Succeeding in the Decentralized AI Landscape

At the Investing in AI Summit on November 12, we hosted a panel exploring one of the most urgent issues in tech: decentralized AI. Moderated by Mia Suarez, the discussion featured Hassan Shaikh (Forbes Web3), Ryan Barney (Pantera), Robert Le (Supermoon Ventures), and Anirudh Pai (Dragonfly). The message was clear: decentralization is essential to prevent AI from becoming monopolized and misused by a few powerful entities.

The conversation began with the core question: does AI need to be decentralized? Hassan put it bluntly: “The reason why we’re in Web3 is because we believe in this decentralization.” Without it, the risks of monopolization and unchecked control are too great to ignore.

Panelists highlighted key areas for decentralized AI development, including healthcare and finance, where sensitive data makes privacy and security crucial. Ryan predicted a phased adoption, with centralized models dominating initially before decentralized solutions gain traction as privacy demands grow.

A critical takeaway was the importance of building usable, desirable products. Ani emphasized, “If you can’t explain your product in a sentence, you don’t know what you’re doing.” Hassan added, “We want to lead with the fact that this is an amazing product, and here are the additional pros of using a decentralized product.”

While decentralized AI is still in its infancy, its potential is undeniable. Robert summed it up: “Imagine when you go online, there’s a 99 percent chance that you’re interacting with a bot or an AI agent.” This isn’t a distant future—it’s fast approaching, and decentralization is key to ensuring it empowers rather than controls.

This panel reaffirmed our commitment at Supermoon to push forward these critical conversations and innovations. Decentralized AI isn’t just an ideal—it’s a responsibility.

You can watch the panel here in our youtube:

ECF x Supermoon: Meet and Greet at Station 3

Last night, we hosted a lively Meet and Greet at Station 3 with the Ethereum Collective Foundation (ECF). Builders, innovators, and Ethereum enthusiasts came together for an evening of networking, creativity, and inspiration. The event showcased the strength of collaboration and community as we explored the exciting possibilities for Ethereum’s future.

The night was filled with meaningful discussions and exchanges of ideas. A highlight was ECF’s upcoming NYC Residency Program, set to launch in January 2025. This two-month initiative will provide builders with mentorship from top Web3 experts, exclusive networking opportunities, and the resources needed to scale impactful projects. Attendees left inspired by the possibilities of transforming their visions into reality.

Station 3

Applications are now open for the residency, which will culminate with a Demo Day at ETH Denver, offering participants a platform to present to leading investors. Workshops, social events, and community connections promise to make this a transformative experience for every participant.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and brought such amazing energy to the evening. We’re excited to continue building momentum as we prepare for January’s program.

Ready to shape Ethereum’s future? Sign up for the NYC Residency Program today.

Bridging the Challenges of Decentralized AI Systems: Insights from DevCon

Sasha Ivanov (Units Network), Danny O’Brien (Filecoin Foundation), Mike Robinson (OORT), and Jayen Harrill (Covalent)

Our recent AI summit at DevCon explored pressing topics in decentralized AI, with a panel on DeAI & Censorship: Breaking Free From The Big Tech, delivering some of the most thought-provoking discussions of the event. Moderated by Jayen Harrill (Covalent), the panel included Danny O’Brien (Filecoin Foundation), Mike Robinson (OORT), and Sasha Ivanov (Units Network). Together, they tackled the complexities of ensuring ethical outputs in decentralized systems without relying on centralized oversight.

The panel opened with the nuanced challenge of integrating ethical safeguards into decentralized models while maintaining censorship resistance. As Danny O’Brien noted, “The place where censorship happens—or ethical constraints—is in the reinforcement learning layer. It’s about guiding the models without central control, creating a diversity of outcomes tailored to user needs.”

Mike Robinson highlighted how OORT addresses these concerns through community-driven mechanisms, saying, “We’re building infrastructure that is censorship-resistant, while empowering our community to uphold data integrity through staking and slashing mechanisms.” This innovative approach combines decentralization with active participation from users.

Sasha Ivanov brought a broader perspective to the table, emphasizing the delicate balance needed: “At the end of the day, there has to be some censorship—but it should be community-governed and decentralized. We must ensure public AI systems can function effectively while respecting privacy and local nuances.” Sasha’s insights highlighted the potential of federated learning as a blockchain-native solution to maintain privacy and data security.

From addressing regulatory challenges to exploring cryptographic innovations like ZK-Starks, the panelists left us with actionable insights and a clearer vision of decentralized AI’s future. The conversation reinforced the critical need for collaboration across the Web3 ecosystem to tackle these complex problems.

You can watch the full keynote on our YouTube here: