Yuma, a development studio and accelerator for decentralized AI (deAI) network Bittensor, has partnered with the University of Connecticut (UConn) to create a building program focused on pooling together specialized machine learning called “BittBridge.”
The partnership with Yuma will give a student-led team the opportunity to work toward operating and developing a project on Bittensor called a subnet, making UConn among the first academic institutions to build on the network, according to a press release.
While AI is everywhere today, it remains reliant on a handful of large corporations, centralized infrastructure and locked in a computing power arms race.
Bittensor, by contrast, makes AI a collective, decentralized process by rewarding contributors for using AI – activities ranging from text translation and data storage to predicting the structure of complex protein chains – focused into problem-solving clusters called subnets.
“The launch of BittBridge underscores UConn’s role as an academic pioneer, providing students with cutting-edge experiences in decentralized AI and blockchain technology,” said Professor Greg Reilly, interim dean of the University of Connecticut School of Business in a statement.
“In a rapidly evolving technological field, the best way to prepare our students is to immerse them in real-world innovation,” Reily said.
Yuma is the latest company launched by crypto entrepreneur Barry Silbert, the founder of Digital Currency Group (DCG).
“The transformative power of AI shouldn’t be limited to a few tech giants or well-funded companies with massive compute access,” Silbert said in a statement.
“Our partnership with UConn represents a significant step in building pathways so the next wave of talent – including students and builders across disciplines – can enter deAI and help shape the outcomes of this extraordinary technology,” Silbert said.