In a bold move that merges two of the hottest tech trends, blockchain and artificial intelligence, a new startup is making waves in the industry. Sentient Labs, co-founded by Polygon's Sandeep Nailwal, has secured a whopping $85 million in seed funding to develop an open-source, decentralized AI platform.

The Dubai-based company, which launched in January 2024, is setting its sights on industry giants like OpenAI and Google's Gemini. But what sets Sentient Labs apart is its unique approach to AI development. "We're not just another AI project," explains co-founder Himanshu Tyagi. "We're building an open world through blockchain to achieve transparency and fairness."

This substantial funding round, co-led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, Pantera Capital, and Framework Ventures, signals strong investor confidence in Sentient's vision. The startup plans to use the funds to scale its engineering team and build a supportive ecosystem for developers.

At the heart of Sentient's strategy is the Open, Monetizable, and Loyal (OML) model. This approach aims to reward community contributions fairly, addressing a long-standing concern in the open-source world. "When our AI is used, everyone who contributed will be rewarded through the blockchain protocol," Tyagi told reporters.

While the concept of combining crypto and AI isn't entirely new, Sentient's focus is unique. According to Dr. Sarah Johnson, a blockchain analyst at Tech Futures Institute, "Most crypto-AI projects explore AI use cases for specific cryptocurrencies. Sentient is flipping the script by leveraging what crypto can do for AI."

Final Thoughts

The road ahead for Sentient Labs is ambitious but not without challenges. The team plans to launch its testnet within two months, a crucial step in proving the viability of their concept. However, some industry experts remain skeptical. "Building a decentralized AI infrastructure that can compete with tech giants is a monumental task," notes Mark Chen, a venture capitalist specializing in AI startups.

As Sentient Labs embarks on this journey, the tech world will be watching closely. If successful, it could reshape the AI landscape, offering a more transparent and equitable alternative to the current centralized models. Only time will tell if this blockchain-powered David can truly take on the AI Goliaths.

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