Forward Original Title: OORT：存储+算力+模型训练，打造一站式 DeAI 解决方案

Enter OORT, exploring its track background, project operation logic, and more, to glimpse the project’s prospects and the opportunities and challenges for the AI+DePIN track in 2024.

At the end of 2023, the crypto research institution Messari already showed strong confidence in the DePIN and AI track in its “Crypto Theses for 2024” report: DePIN and AI have natural integration scenarios, and the combination of DePIN and DeAI will give birth to killer applications in the crypto market.

As a barometer of the crypto market to some extent, the market trend indeed confirms Messari’s prediction: In the past month, AI+DePIN concept projects have emerged, and related token prices have generally risen. The decentralized map project Hivemapper (HONEY) saw a monthly increase of 12.9%, the project focusing on decentralized GPU rendering solutions Render saw a monthly increase of 149.2%, and what is more noteworthy is that the one-stop decentralized AI service platform OORT, which integrates storage, computing, AI deployment, and training, saw an astonishing monthly increase of 352.5%.

Image source: coingecko

Behind the huge increase are not only the popularity of the track, but also the project’s own advantages. It is reported that OORT has maintained rapid development momentum since its mainnet was launched in November last year.The number of global nodes exceeds 31,000+, covering 111 countries, with a cumulative financing amount of nearly 10 million US dollars. Recently, it was officially announced to become the official storage provider of BNB Greenfield (Storage Provider)., while further expanding BNB Chain’s storage capabilities while creating a more private, transparent, and interconnected decentralized digital ecosystem. As the core product of the project, OORT computing, is about to be launched in the second quarter of 2024, many community members who are paying attention to the AI+DePIN track regard OORT as an investment target with huge potential.

Taking this opportunity, this article aims to go into OORT and gain a glimpse of the project prospects and the development opportunities and challenges of the AI+DePIN track in 2024 by exploring its track background, project operation logic, project core competitiveness, etc.

Image source: Twitter @oortech

AI+DePIN, 2024 mainstream narrative

Image source: Twitter @oortech

AI+DePIN, The Mainstream Narrative in 2024

In the market, 95% of the hot money stems from users’ FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Before delving into the value logic of OORT, let’s first focus on the AI + DePIN track the project is on, discussing the “catching the trend” factor’s enhancement for a project’s success.

DePIN aims to utilize blockchain technology and cryptographic incentives to connect hardware device users worldwide, encouraging the establishment of a massive collaborative infrastructure network for physical devices. It emphasizes community ownership, seeks more open and transparent distribution, and effectively promotes resource sharing. Currently, there are over 650 DePIN projects, with their market value rising from 15 billion USD to 31.4 billion USD within a month.

AI, as a significant driving force of the 21st-century technological revolution, is entering households with the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI. Drawing an analogy to cars for the development of AI: Data is like fuel for a car; algorithms are like the car’s central control system; computing power is akin to the car’s engine. However, in today’s predominantly centralized internet world, AI development faces various challenges. First, AI often needs vast amounts of data to improve performance, yet the process of data collection frequently involves privacy breaches. Last year, OpenAI openly stated that personal payment information of paid users might have been leaked, causing public outcry. Secondly, the high cost of data processing and computing resources leading to monopolies cannot be underestimated. According to Wells Fargo, Nvidia currently holds 98% of the data center AI market share. Moreover, due to commercial competition and other factors, AI companies struggle to share resources and develop collaboratively, inevitably leading to algorithm bias, unfairness, ethical and standardization issues, and the problem of reinventing the wheel.

The current challenges in AI development are perhaps a key reason for the high popularity of the AI + DePIN track:

On one hand, DePIN can significantly alleviate the current development dilemmas of AI. The decentralized value system advocated by DePIN, characterized by openness, transparency, immutability, and verifiability, not only helps more people understand the decision-making process and logic of AI, making AI no longer a “black box.” It also attracts global users to contribute their data and idle computing power for rewards through the integration of cryptographic economic models, greatly reducing AI costs. In terms of privacy, with the cooperation of privacy technologies like ZK (Zero-Knowledge proofs), users’ data can be utilized without being visible.

On the other hand, AI serves as an excellent entry point for DePIN to introduce traditional capital and ignite crypto capital. In essence, DePIN is still a new attempt at seeking real-world applications within the crypto concept. However, AI is highly favored by both traditional tech giants and crypto VCs, making AI + DePIN a popular narrative linking traditional and crypto funds. Many crypto KOLs predict that AI+DePIN will take over the role of the last DeFi Summer, becoming the leading value narrative of this bull market. According to Messari’s estimates, the market value of DePIN will reach 3.5 trillion USD by 2028, and by 2023, AI’s market value in the Web3 domain will surpass 2.8 trillion USD. With some overlap in their market values, this fully demonstrates the immense potential for growth in AI+DePIN.

Image source: Messari

The recognition from top investment research institutions, combined with the impressive performance of several projects since the beginning of the year, undeniably makes AI+DePIN one of the hottest tracks at the moment. Yet, in such an opportunity and challenge-filled track, how does OORT stand out?

Core Logic: How OORT Realizes Decentralized AI (DeAI)?

Tommy, a co-founder of Delphi Digital, once stated, “I believe we are moving towards a world with billions of AI models, whether it’s individuals downloading and personalizing open-source models, or projects and companies building their own model collections for specific use cases.”

This view aligns perfectly with the project philosophy of OORT.

In brief, OORT is a one-stop decentralized AI solution encompassing data collection, data storage, data preprocessing, data computation, AI model design/training/fine-tuning, and deployment. The project aims to integrate AI with DePIN. On one hand, it encourages a broader range of users to contribute in a decentralized manner through a well-designed incentive model. On the other hand, it offers AI services that are accessible, low-cost, and privacy-protecting to every user, thus creating a global AI ecosystem based on trust.

However, OORT understands that to build a world where everyone can contribute, design, and benefit, it first needs to establish a framework, constructing a decentralized infrastructure layer that can truly aggregate Web2 and Web3 data. This involves achieving real decentralization, efficiency, transparency, and cost reduction in aspects such as data storage, data retrieval, and data computation. Specifically, OORT has launched the open-source Layer 1 Olympus protocol and uses its native token, OORT, to achieve a closed-loop incentive system.

As the initial data providers, users can obtain greater storage space by paying with OORT tokens (payments can also be made with points and credit cards, but payments made with OORT tokens generally enjoy a discount, which adds more practical value to the token). Users can also choose whether to share their stored data to ensure privacy and receive OORT token rewards.

In maintaining the stable operation of the network, OORT has designed an innovative three-tier node structure:

• Super node:Public clouds and private clouds with strong storage and computing capabilities, such as Tencent Cloud, etc., are designed to provide OORT systems with performance comparable to Web2 (similar to AWS), which is the basis for large-scale adoption.
• Backup node:Integrate cold data storage nodes from existing storage networks, such as filecoin, storj, crust and arweave, which is the bridge between Web2 and Web3 built by OORT.
• Edge node:For devices with weak storage and computing capabilities, such as personal computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc., the design of edge nodes opens up the channels for ordinary users to participate in the ecosystem, which not only absorbs the fragmented long-tail market, but also increases the geographical and quantitative dispersion of OORT. The degree of decentralization of the system.

Image source: oortech.com

In the total supply of 2 billion OORT tokens, 65% are allocated to incentivize nodes that contribute computing and storage resources to the OORT network. This allocation highlights OORT’s commitment to building a decentralized infrastructure layer. OORT’s pursuit of decentralization and edge AI, and its positioning, encourage more users to buy Deimos hardware devices and join the OORT Edge to become edge nodes and earn rewards:

On one hand, the profits come from mining with Deimos: choosing zero-collateral mining yields a 15% mining profit; opting for collateral mining with a full collateral (500 OORT) allows for a 100% mining profit. Additionally, token holders can choose to stake their tokens with a node. After the node earns higher profits, it can distribute a portion of its dividends back to the supporting token holders, thereby creating a virtuous cycle.

On the other hand, edge nodes that provide storage, computing power, or bandwidth services will receive more substantial service rewards. For instance, data fragments uploaded by users will be distributed across OORT infrastructure nodes, and nodes responding to retrieval, download, and computing services will earn profits. In the retrieval process, OORT edge nodes improve file tagging and indexing efficiency by labeling local data with tags and quickly constructing a distributed hash table (DHT). Data processed through computation before being uploaded to the distributed cloud, with the data’s hash stored on the blockchain, ensures traceability and tamper-resistance. OORT’s consensus algorithm, Proof of Honesty (PoH), which has been patented in the USA, ensures that nodes honestly complete the requested tasks and optimizes the network’s resource distribution in a distributed manner.

Of course, to maintain the system’s stable operation, OORT has set corresponding punitive measures: if a Deimos device goes offline or the collateral is withdrawn early, corresponding rewards will be deducted as a penalty.

Deimos appearance - Image source: oortech.com

Thus, a truly interconnected decentralized infrastructure layer that bridges Web2 and Web3, integrating various aspects such as data storage, computation, and pre-processing, leaps off the page. This decentralized infrastructure layer will undoubtedly nourish applications built on the Olympus protocol, whether they be dApps, customized AI, or more innovative applications that emerge within the future ecosystem. They will all rely on this decentralized infrastructure layer to achieve more efficient responses, larger-scale data analysis, more private data security, and more transparent operation processes. Hence, truly realizing a one-stop decentralized AI solution that encompasses data collection, storage, pre-processing, computation, AI model design/training/fine-tuning, and deployment.

After establishing the overarching framework of the decentralized infrastructure layer, OORT began to materialize its products, showcasing an initial product matrix that covers data storage, computation, AI deployment, and training:

OORT Storage: A Decentralized Version of Baidu Cloud

Low barriers to entry are one of the standout features of OORT Storage. The product experience is indistinguishable from Web2 products, allowing users to create accounts with an email, after which they can create folders to upload/search/download files. Beyond the free quota, users with additional storage needs can adjust their plan flexibly and pay through points, bank cards, tokens, etc. In terms of privacy protection, users can set file access permissions themselves. Uploaded files are split into fixed-size “fragments,” each encrypted with AES-256 encryption at the client side, ensuring that only the file owner can access the content. The encrypted fragments are then processed with erasure coding technology to generate “parity” fragments and stored distributively, ensuring files can be reassembled and decrypted even if some fragments are lost or currently unavailable.

OORT Compute: Integrating Global Long-Tail Market Computing Power

As is well known, running AI models requires computational resources. Beyond purchasing high-cost hardware like CPUs, GPUs, and TPUs, a potential market exists in the vast amount of idle computing power hidden in ordinary users’ computers, smartphones, and tablets worldwide. OORT Compute aims to match AI computation needs with this idle computing power by integrating devices globally to provide AI data collection and preprocessing services.

OORT AI: Three Simple Steps to Customized Personal AI

In a market trend towards continuous segmentation, whether for businesses or individuals, a customized AI holds strong appeal. Supported by large language models (LLMs), OORT AI aims to offer a simple, efficient, and convenient AI creation experience to users. Through the main dashboard, users can edit their AI according to their needs and preview its effects in advance. Even after deployment, users can readjust, optimize, and update their AI based on subscription data, usage traffic, and user feedback, completing AI customization, deployment, and training within minutes.

Image source: OORT Medium

After years of development, OORT Storage has now integrated global storage servers such as Seagate and Tencent Cloud, providing a decentralized object storage solution that rivals the performance of Amazon AWS S3 and saves up to 60% in costs. In its collaboration with Lenovo Image, OORT has brought a leap in improvement to the Lenovo Image customer service system, not only anticipating an 80% reduction in customer service calls but also a decrease in operational costs by up to 70%, earning high praise for significantly optimizing the user experience. Moreover, since the Olympus mainnet went live last November, over 31,000 nodes have joined.

The remarkable achievements of OORT are inseparable from its precise market positioning as well as the quality enhancement under a strong team.

AI+DePIN is Highly Sought After: OORT’s Breakthrough Strategy

In its rapid development, many community members encountering OORT for the first time have commented that OORT is akin to Filecoin (storage) + Render Network (computing power) + Gensyn (model training). While these comments have some basis, upon closer examination, they also reveal some biases:

OORT focuses more on edge nodes, paying more attention to how to lower the threshold to attract a broader range of ordinary users worldwide. By serving a more extensive and diverse long-tail market demand, it unlocks a vast amount of idle resources in personal computers, smartphones, and tablets, providing a more trustworthy, decentralized, and customized one-stop AI service.

From a product perspective: OORT Storage not only supports all types of files but also offers more efficient data retrieval capabilities through a distributed hash table (DHT), and importantly, it boasts enterprise-level performance. OORT Computing integrates ZK technology to preprocess data while ensuring user privacy and reducing latency in the decision-making process of connecting devices. OORT AI supports multiple data formats including text, images, audio, video, and web pages, and it’s not just about model training; it’s a one-stop AI customization service that encompasses creation, deployment, and training.

From a product experience perspective, due to its focus on the fringe long-tail market (currently boasting over 31,000 nodes worldwide), OORT is more decentralized, making its product development more closely aligned with human needs. Moreover, with the integration of email login, fiat currency access, and other features to lower entry barriers, OORT offers a smoother user experience. Additionally, covering the entire stages of data collection, data processing, and data feeding, OORT facilitates more seamless collaboration. It is known that since last month, the price of OORT tokens has soared, with a monthly increase of 352.5%. Furthermore, in collaboration with Lenovo Image, the product service has received a praise rate of over 90%. This is not only a market acknowledgment of OORT but also a manifestation of the concentrated outbreak of OORT’s advantages in various aspects. As an emerging project based in New York, OORT boasts a strong team background and industry resources.

Dr. Max Li, the CEO of OORT, is a professor at Columbia University and the inventor of the PoH consensus algorithm, with extensive experience in software development, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technology. He also holds over 200 technical patents globally. Additionally, other core team members come from world-renowned institutions such as Columbia University, Qualcomm, AT&T, JPMorgan Chase, etc., possessing numerous U.S. patents and academic papers (both the PoH consensus algorithm and verifiable computing have been patented), solidifying OORT’s high-quality product foundation with their strong technical strength and rich project experience.

In terms of industry resources, OORT’s partners span traditional tech giants and new stars in the crypto market: not only has it established cooperation with top internet companies including Tencent Cloud, Dell Technologies, and Lenovo Image to explore innovative decentralized solutions, but it has also partnered with Binance to become a certified cloud service provider for BNB Chain, supporting the rapid development of the BNB Chain ecosystem. Cooperation with top enterprises also facilitates presenting OORT services to a broader range of Web2 and Web3 users.

Image source: Twitter @oortech

Moreover, having been immersed in the market for many years, OORT is adept at market promotion:

On one hand, OORT has already been listed on Bitget and Gate.io, two major exchanges, and plans to be listed on more leading exchanges in the future to broaden user participation pathways. It’s worth mentioning that, by being the official storage provider for BNB Greenfield and through deep cooperation with BNB Chain, there might be a future opportunity for listing on Binance. On the other hand, OORT deeply understands the importance of community power, encouraging community participation through a series of activities, including but not limited to Meme events, exchange CandyBomb events, and bug bounty programs.

Additionally, the launched OORT Earn introduces flexible staking schemes, offering annualized yields of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%, corresponding to daily staking or staking for 3, 6, 12 months, to encourage token holders to hold long-term for higher returns. Other Earn benefits include exclusive airdrops for OORT ecosystem partners, with users enjoying a higher proportion of airdrops the more they stake, securing user benefits while deepening cooperation with ecosystem partners. Interested users can visit the OORT official website and social media platforms for details.

Image source: oortech.com

The impressive market performance has also attracted the attention of a host of top industry investors: In January 2024, OORT completed its latest round of financing, not only attracting support from traditional tech giants like Microsoft and Google but also winning favor from crypto VCs such as Taisu Ventures (formerly Emurgo, Cardano Venture Arm), Red Beard Ventures (backed by a16z), Hike Ventures, in addition to prior support from VCs like Aves Lair, Trinity Venture Capital, LinkVC, Sanctor Capital, Waterdrip, etc., with OORT’s total financing amount exceeding ten million. In 2024, as more project milestones are reached, OORT is set to enter a new phase of rapid development.

Facing the Future: Multiple Milestones Achieved

Currently, users can experience OORT storage by uploading, retrieving, and downloading files. The overall operation is no different from using a Web2 cloud storage service. Additionally, users can edit, deploy, and train their own AI Bot with OORT AI. Moreover, by purchasing Deimos devices through official channels, users can become edge nodes and participate in mining to earn profits.

According to OORT’s social media, as an important segment of the decentralized infrastructure layer, the development of OORT computing is being vigorously pushed forward, with a high degree of importance placed by the team. It is expected to meet the public in the second quarter of 2024. By then, users will be able to share their devices’ idle computing power to receive token rewards and experience how OORT computing preprocesses and uploads data to the blockchain in a decentralized manner.

In the future, as more nodes join, the OORT ecosystem will continue to grow, and the degree of decentralization will increase. The project will continue to strive in areas such as product iteration and optimization, marketing strategy, critical adjustments to the economic model, community participation and governance, etc., further promoting a positive economic cycle while bringing users smarter, simpler, one-stop AI services.

Image source: OORT Medium

Conclusion

Indeed, although the enthusiasm of communities and capital has pushed AI+DePIN to a high position, AI+DePIN is still at a very early stage. In this arena full of immense potential yet fierce competition, project teams are eager to demonstrate their prowess. On one hand, they are rapidly advancing their product roadmaps, and on the other, they are strengthening market promotion to increase market share.

However, it’s undeniable that seeing a product like OORT in the market, which is relatively mature from design to implementation, is quite eye-opening: the project’s rapid development momentum is reflected to a certain extent by the continuously expanding number of global nodes and a token price increase of threefold monthly. With the added popularity of the AI+DePIN track and the realization of several major milestones of projects such as OORT computing and Deimos 2.0, we look forward to the performance of OORT and the entire track.

Disclaimer：

1. This article is reprinted from[techflowpost] Forward the Original Title‘OORT：存储+算力+模型训练，打造一站式 DeAI 解决方案’.All copyrights belong to the original author [Deep Tide TechFlow]. If there are objections to this reprint, please contact the Gate Learn team, and they will handle it promptly.
2. Liability Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not constitute any investment advice.
3. Translations of the article into other languages are done by the Gate Learn team. Unless mentioned, copying, distributing, or plagiarizing the translated articles is prohibited.