a16z backs Ambient with $7.2M to build decentralized AI on blockchain

Venture capital giant a16z, along with Delphi Digital and Amber Group, has invested $7.2 million in Ambient — a new blockchain project that aims to deliver «superintelligent AI» through a fast, open, and cost-efficient network architecture.
 

Ambient’s co-founder, Travis Good, believes Bitcoin’s cryptographic mechanisms are becoming outdated and may lose relevance within five years. He sees Ambient as a next-generation alternative for miners looking to repurpose their massive hashrate investments.
 

AI at the Core of Blockchain Infrastructure

Unlike many crypto projects that simply integrate AI on the surface, Ambient places it at the heart of its blockchain. The network runs on a Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism, with security inspired by Bitcoin and performance resembling that of Solana.
 

The platform’s vision is clear: users pay for accurate AI-generated answers, which are then verified by miners. This creates a transparent economic model and avoids the risks associated with opaque centralized AI systems.
 

A Decentralized Alternative to OpenAI

Ambient positions itself as a decentralized rival to OpenAI. Unlike Bittensor, which does not run models directly on-chain, Ambient fully integrates artificial intelligence into its protocol.
 

Investors backing the project believe in the power of open-source AI. Centralized AI, according to Delphi’s Alex Golding, makes it nearly impossible for users to understand how models are trained and opens the door to low-quality or misleading responses.
 

Whether Ambient can attract support from miners and the broader crypto community depends on its ability to build a viable and sustainable economic model. Its success could redefine how we interact with AI in decentralized ecosystems.