Research: Crypto x AI - Leveraging Blockchain for AI Growth

The landscape of technology continues to evolve, with artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain leading the charge. Both sectors are driving innovation at unprecedented rates, and their intersection is giving rise to new business models and opportunities. At Solid Group, we are closely monitoring these trends, identifying the areas where AI and crypto are converging to create transformative value.

In the next two articles, we delve into two key trends shaping the future: Crypto x AI and AI x Crypto. We also explore how these developments may unfold in a new financial paradigm—DeFAI (Decentralized Finance for AI).

Crypto x AI: Leveraging Blockchain for AI Growth

Crypto AI projects are AI native adding the crypto elements: AI projects built by Web 2 teams are starting to incorporate blockchain as part of their customer acquisition strategies. These teams are technologically advanced and are using crypto incentives to attract large-scale users, particularly in the Web 2 enterprise space.

Here are a few areas where we see significant potential:

Data Privacy for Enterprises

Web3’s privacy-enhancing technologies, such as Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE), offer enterprises secure ways to fine-tune AI models without exposing sensitive data. As these technologies mature, privacy-preserving AI services will become a key selling point for blockchain infrastructure.

Reducing AI Infrastructure Costs with GPU DePINs

The shortage of NVIDIA GPUs has sparked the rise of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs) that aggregate underutilized GPU power for AI inference. Examples include:

• Repurposed ETH mining hardware

• Filecoin mining hardware for lower-end tasks

• Platforms like io.net, Aethir, and Exabits offering GPU cycles at competitive rates

These networks are critical for reducing AI infrastructure costs, which is essential as demand for AI computing resources grows.

Serving Web 2 Customers

McKinsey projects that generative AI could add $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually across industries. By comparison, the entire cryptocurrency market is valued at around $2.7 trillion. For the foreseeable future, AI’s largest customer base will be Web 2 companies. Examples include:

• Vertical-specific AI solutions (e.g., Cedar.ai)

• Enterprises fine-tuning AI models (e.g., Netflix)

• Fast-growing AI platforms (e.g., Anthropic)

• Software companies integrating AI features (e.g., Canva)

Web3 projects that serve these stable, high-value customers will benefit from long-term opportunities.

Uncensored AI Models

Centralized platforms like OpenAI enforce strict content policies, limiting use cases such as NSFW content and politically sensitive queries. Decentralized AI projects, such as Venice.ai, are stepping in to provide uncensored, privacy-focused alternatives powered by open-source models.

Harnessing Open-Source Models

The open-source software (OSS) movement continues to disrupt proprietary solutions. Blockchain-backed AI services are well-positioned to drive fast innovation by incentivizing global OSS collaboration. Protocols like Theoriq are developing interconnected networks of AI agents built on OSS frameworks.

The convergence of blockchain and AI is driving innovation, with crypto AI projects using blockchain to boost scalability, security, and user acquisition. New formats like decentralized training and data collection are emerging, while crypto incentives attract enterprise clients and lower infrastructure costs through networks like GPU DePINs. Advancements in Web3 privacy and open-source collaboration are further accelerating AI adoption. As these projects mature, their ability to serve high-value clients with privacy-focused, censorship-resistant solutions will position them as key players in the next wave of technological growth.

In our next article, we will explore the other side of this equation: AI Crypto Projects—crypto-native ventures that use AI to lower barriers to entry and drive adoption.