IoTeX launches AI network with Vodafone, Filecoin to reward users for live data

Decentralized identity protocol IoTeX has launched the Real World AI Foundry a global initiative designed to challenge centralized artificial intelligence by rewarding users for contributing live verifiable data to blockchain powered AI models.

The Real World AI Foundry was officially unveiled at the R3al World AI Summit during the Singapore Token2049 conference. IoTeX introduced the project alongside founding Alignment Partners such as Vodafone, the Blockchain Association, Filecoin, Theta Network, Aethir and others.

According to IoTeX, the Real World AI Foundry directly challenges traditional AI systems which the company describes as “closed source, costly and controlled by a few.” A spokesperson told Cointelegraph that real world AI requires “open collaboration where trusted data from machines, people and sensors flows into shared models.”

Blockchain underpins this effort by ensuring secure recording of data, while crypto provides incentives for participation.

“Within the Real World AI Foundry, users can contribute data, compute, or validation and earn rewards every time an AI agent or model accesses these verified streams,” the spokesperson added.

Real World Models at the core

At the center of the Real World AI Foundry are Real World Models (RWMs) intelligent systems trained on live data sourced from machines, sensors, and human interaction. These RWMs are designed to understand cause and effect, adapt to changing environments and deliver real time responses in sectors like healthcare, mobility, robotics and energy.

“Instead of just distributing compute or agent hosting, the Real World AI Foundry establishes the first open ecosystem of RWMs governed collectively to ensure interoperability, accountability and alignment with human values,” IoTeX explained.

The initiative begins with real world data flowing from IoTeX’s existing network of more than 40 million connected devices. These devices can opt in as trusted data sources via ioID, a decentralized identity protocol that verifies authenticity without revealing personal information. Data privacy is further safeguarded using encryption and zero knowledge proofs.

Incentives and governance

Within the Real World AI Foundry, data providers, infrastructure partners and model builders will be rewarded based on the quality and usage of their contributions all tracked via onchain registries.

Governance starts with working groups led by Alignment Partners and will gradually evolve into token based voting and other decentralized mechanisms ensuring no single entity dominates control.

Growing traction for decentralized AI

The launch of the Real World AI Foundry comes as decentralized AI gathers momentum globally. In August, Swarm Network raised $13 million to advance its decentralized AI verification protocol, which has already fact checked over 3 million posts through Rollup News.

Earlier in April, Nous Research secured $50 million in a Paradigm led Series A round to develop open source AI models using decentralized infrastructure on Solana, aiming to compete with centralized players like OpenAI.

By spearheading the Real World AI Foundry, IoTeX positions itself at the forefront of decentralized AI, offering a scalable, secure and open alternative to closed AI ecosystems.