Aethir Launches $100 Million Fund to Accelerate AI and Gaming Innovation

Aethir Launches $100 Million AI Fund as Sony Seeks AI Game Patent | PYMNTS.com

Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening up fresh possibilities across the gaming and sports betting sectors. Recent developments showcase this trend, with Aethir launching a $100 million fund for AI and gaming projects, PlayVS teaming up with Omnic.AI for esports analysis, Sony patenting AI-assisted game asset creation and Greenlite Ventures acquiring AI sports betting firm Grin Gaming. Decentralized cloud network Aethir is betting big on AI and gaming with a new $100 million ecosystem fund that aims to fuel tech development. The fund's centerpiece, Aethir Catalyst, offers grants from $5,000 to $200,000 in ATH tokens. Eligible companies can also snag up to 35% off Aethir's cloud computing costs. Boasting over 43,000 GPUs, including 3,000 Nvidia H100s, Aethir claims its network is primed for AI and cloud gaming demands. "Aethir's mission is to provide best-in-class computing power and infrastructure to companies of all sizes, from early-stage startups to well-established industry leaders," the company wrote on its blog. "Aethir's $100 million ecosystem fund will empower compute buyers to push the boundaries of AI and gaming technologies and ultimately deliver the best technology experience to businesses and users worldwide." The fund's rollout begins with joint grant programs alongside XAI and XPLA. In future phases, Aethir plans to unveil more partnerships. PlayVS, a scholastic eSports platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Omnic.AI, an artificial intelligence gaming analysis company. The collaboration aims to boost student gamers' skills through advanced analytical tools. PlayVS will offer free access to Omnic Forge, an AI-powered platform that analyzes gameplay and provides personalized feedback. The service, typically subscription-based, will be available to high school students participating in PlayVS leagues. "Teaming up with Omnic.AI represents a significant leap forward in how we support and develop young gamers," PlayVS CEO Jon Chapman said. "Their innovative technology will help our community refine their skills and stand out among other gamers, empowering them to continue to refine their craft and reach new heights in and out of the world of esports." Sony has reportedly filed a patent for an AI system that would streamline the creation of in-game assets. This technology could allow content creators or developers to generate and modify 3D models using voice commands. The system converts voice inputs into text, creates a 2D model and transforms it into a 3D asset. Users can refine these objects using additional voice instructions or image examples before incorporating them into the game environment. While the patent doesn't specify if this feature will be available to players, it suggests Sony's interest in expanding game customization options. This aligns with the company's other recent AI-related patents, including systems for AI-controlled gameplay streaming and personalized AI companions. Greenlite Ventures has announced the completion of its acquisition of Grin Gaming, a company specializing in AI-driven sports betting solutions. The deal gives Greenlite Ventures access to Grin's AI-powered tools, including in-game platforms and player prop pricing engines. Grin Gaming has generated over $5 million in revenue over the past three years and has raised nearly $5 million in investment capital. Their technology focuses on micro-betting for B2C and B2B applications. Greenlite plans to integrate Grin's back-end in-play data platform and consumer-facing platforms into its existing systems. The company aims to complete this integration before launching a Super Bowl marketing campaign featuring its combined AI-driven products. The acquisition also brings Grin's language processing systems to Greenlite, enabling customized chatbots and voice-activated software for their betting platforms.

Aethir launches $100M fund to accelerate AI, gaming innovation

Aethir, a provider of decentralized graphic processing unit (GPU) cloud computing, announced the launch of the $100 million Aethir Ecosystem Fund to accelerate the innovation of artificial intelligence and gaming. The initiative, which includes the Aethir Catalyst program, is designed to offer startups and enterprises access to high-performance GPU resources. Over the next year, the fund will distribute 336 million ATH tokens, with an equal focus on AI and gaming projects. Daniel Wang, CEO of Aethir, told Cointelegraph that the $100 million fund addresses the need startups and enterprises face when trying to access high-performance GPU resources. "By offering funding and access to critical compute resources, we are working to democratize this technology and enable companies to scale more effectively." The Aethir Catalyst program is the foundation for the fund, allocating $20 million to support over 100 projects through grants and subsidies. According to Mark Rydon, co-founder and chief security officer at Aethir, the fund represents a crucial effort to democratize GPU access and reduce financial barriers faced by companies in these sectors. "By allocating $20 million to this fund from Aethir Foundation's $100 million ecosystem fund, we are ensuring that the most promising companies have the resources they need to thrive in these sectors and that the barriers to accessing compute power are reduced for everyone." Related: Aethir and APhone unveil 10x scaling solution slashing mobile user costs by 90% Fund distribution and criteria The 336 million ATH tokens, distributed equally between AI and gaming projects, will be used to build strategic partnerships and support innovation across various fields. The fund's distribution model aims to reduce the computing costs for companies integrating AI, machine learning or high-traction gaming applications. In addition to grants, the fund includes a subsidy program that covers up to 35% of off-platform GPU service costs, enabling companies to access high-performance computing without upfront costs. Related: Aethir's GPU-as-a-service hits $36M revenue with 10% monthly growth Aethir partners with MetaGravity for scalable DePIN gaming On June 25, Aethir partnered with MetaGravity, developers of HyperScale Engine, to accelerate the development of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs). The partnership was established to improve the 3D internet and gaming industry through DePIN technology, creating a scalable infrastructure to simplify gaming development. Dan Wang, co-founder and CEO of Aethir, told Cointelegraph that the partnership's goal was to unite "a global network of underutilized resources."

Aethir Catalyst will invest $100M in AI and gaming startups using decentralized GPUs

Aethir, a company focused on decentralized GPU Cloud computing, will invest $100 million in AI and gaming companies as part of its Aethir Ecosystem fund. Aethir Catalyst is a $20 million part of the Aethir Ecosystem Fund and is backed by the Aethir Foundation. This fund, comprising several grant programs, is designed to accelerate the adoption of Aethir's compute platform, empowering startups and enterprises in the AI and gaming sectors. Singapore-based Aethir's business includes finding under-utilized graphics processing units (GPUs) across the industry and marshaling them for cloud-based computing purposes. It has roots in Web3 and has done deals with a number of blockchain-based projects -- as well as games and AI -- that need a lot of computing power. As part of this initiative, Aethir has introduced the Aethir Catalyst, its independent grant program within the ecosystem that will distribute 336 million ATH tokens across the next year. Aethir's ecosystem fund is structured to drive innovation across the AI and gaming industries, encompassing both previously launched and newly introduced grant initiatives. The cornerstone of this fund is Aethir Catalyst, a $20 million initiative that will provide financial support to over 100 projects in the form of grants or subsidies. The program aims to support startups and enterprises with significant compute needs, particularly those integrating AI or developing high-traction gaming projects in communities that would otherwise face challenges accessing affordable, high-performance GPU resources. Companies will be evaluated based on various criteria, such as innovation, growth potential, compute needs, community impact, and more. By distributing 336 million ATH tokens -- equally split between AI and gaming projects -- Aethir seeks to build strategic partnerships with both small and large-scale compute buyers while supporting early-stage startups. This initiative lowers the barriers to high-performance computing, providing the critical resources needed for companies to scale their projects efficiently and competitively. For many innovators, access to GPU resources is a pivotal factor in growth, and Aethir's program directly addresses this need by making such resources more accessible, Aethir said. Aethir's Ecosystem Fund is not only a financial commitment but a strategic initiative to foster the next wave of industry growth. As AI and gaming technology become increasingly compute-intensive, Aethir is positioning itself as a vital infrastructure provider that empowers developers to bring their most ambitious ideas to life, the company said. Aethir Catalyst, along with two $10 million ecosystem grant programs are key components of the Ecosystem Fund, which is set to accelerate the creation and deployment of cutting-edge AI applications and immersive gaming experiences. These programs, in partnership with XAI and XPLA will drive innovation that will influence and shape the future of both industries. In addition to grants, the Aethir Ecosystem Fund offers a subsidy program that provides up to 35% off-platform service costs, further easing the financial burden for companies requiring GPU compute. This combination of grants and subsidies ensures that developers, from bootstrapped startups to more established organizations, can access the compute resources necessary through Aethir's platform to advance their projects without compromising on growth due to budget constraints. Complementing the ecosystem programs, Aethir is launching a new business line through their Edge network, expanding its infrastructure to support more complex AI workloads and enhancing the scalability of enterprise-level social media platforms. As part of this expansion, the Aethir Foundation will allocate up to 100 ATH per device, per day for Edge devices, ensuring substantial compute availability across the network from November 2024 to mid-2025. Mark Rydon, chief strategy officer at Aethir, said in a statement, "Aethir Catalyst represents a significant commitment to democratizing access to GPU compute for AI and gaming innovators. By allocating $20 million to this fund from Aethir Foundation's $100 million ecosystem fund, we are ensuring that the most promising companies have the resources they need to thrive in these sectors, and that the barriers to accessing compute power are reduced for everyone." Aethir's fund is expected to have wide-reaching effects across the tech industries, providing developers with the means to push technological boundaries and unlock new possibilities. By supporting a variety of companies, from AI-integrated enterprises to cloud gaming initiatives, Aethir is fostering innovation to create richer digital environments and more scalable, sophisticated AI solutions, the company said. Developers, startups, and enterprises are encouraged to apply for the Aethir Catalyst grants and subsidies, which will provide essential resources to help scale their operations and bring groundbreaking projects to market.