Thirty years after Ben Goertzel’s initial foray into artificial intelligence, the seasoned computer scientist remains a staunch advocate for decentralized AI. At the Consensus conference in Toronto this week, Goertzel addressed the impending arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the implications of who controls this groundbreaking technology. “We’re likely to be able to launch AGI that can think and generalize beyond its training and programming within the next one to three years,” he predicted, adding an air of urgency to the ongoing debate about the future of AI.
A Foundation of Decentralization
Goertzel’s vision for decentralized AI is not a recent pivot. As early as the mid-90s, he recognized the potential benefits of a decentralized approach, writing his first line of AI code with this philosophy in mind. Speaking to the shifting landscape of the internet, Goertzel reflected, “In ’93, ’94, ’95, it became clear to me AI should be decentralized.” Back then, the internet itself was a bastion of decentralization, a stark contrast to today’s centralized digital empires.
SingularityNET, Goertzel’s brainchild, embodies this ethos, creating a decentralized marketplace for AI services. With partnerships involving Mind Network and the Filecoin Foundation, and a hefty $53 million investment in a modular supercomputer for decentralized AGI, the project is not merely theoretical. It’s an active bid to ensure that the future of AI isn’t monopolized by corporate giants. This aligns with the broader trend of AI integration into blockchain, as seen in the AI-Powered Court System Is Coming to Crypto With GenLayer.
Building Alliances and Pushing Boundaries
In 2024, Goertzel took another significant step by founding the Artificial Superintelligence Alliance, the largest open-source initiative dedicated to decentralized AGI. He noted that SingularityNET and the ASI Alliance represent some of the few serious contenders in this field outside of Big Tech, particularly within the crypto space. “We are hoping that we, in collaboration with other decentralized teams, will be the first or among the very first to make it happen,” he asserted.
Goertzel’s initiatives, including the upcoming ASI Chain—a modular blockchain designed for decentralized AI—are part of a broader strategy to prevent AGI from becoming a tool of concentrated power. “What I didn’t foresee then was that the internet would become so centralized,” he lamented, pointing to tech behemoths like Google and Facebook as examples of this trend. As discussed in AI Crypto Agents Are Ushering in a New Era of ‘DeFAI’, the intersection of AI and crypto is poised to redefine traditional power structures.
The Road Ahead
As the world stands on the cusp of AGI, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Goertzel’s conviction that decentralization is crucial to the ethical evolution of AI is shared by a growing number of voices in the tech community. The convergence of AI development and blockchain technology seems poised to redefine the boundaries of both fields, raising questions about the role of decentralization in ensuring equitable access and control.
Yet, as with any pioneering effort, challenges abound. Goertzel’s early skepticism about decentralized money—despite his anarchist leanings—reflects the complex interplay between ideology and practicality. Bitcoin, the premier decentralized currency, remains hampered by issues of speed and cost, echoing Goertzel’s initial concerns.
The journey toward decentralized AI is fraught with obstacles and opportunities. Whether it will succeed in democratizing intelligence as Goertzel envisions remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: as AGI looms on the horizon, the debate surrounding its governance is only just beginning. Will decentralization pave the way for a more equitable future, or will history repeat itself with new forms of centralized control? The answers to these questions could shape the trajectory of technology—and humanity—for generations to come.
Source
This article is based on: ‘In ‘93, it became clear to me AI should be decentralized’ — Ben Goertzel
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Steve Gregory is a lawyer in the United States who specializes in licensing for cryptocurrency companies and products. Steve began his career as an attorney in 2015 but made the switch to working in cryptocurrency full time shortly after joining the original team at Gemini Trust Company, an early cryptocurrency exchange based in New York City. Steve then joined CEX.io and was able to launch their regulated US-based cryptocurrency. Steve then went on to become the CEO at currency.com when he ran for four years and was able to lead currency.com to being fully acquired in 2025.
