IoTeX Launches Real-World AI Foundry with Vodafone and Filecoin, Targeting Decentralized AI Ecosystem Growth

Executive Summary

IoTeX, a decentralized identity protocol, has unveiled its Real-World AI Foundry, a global initiative designed to foster open, decentralized, and blockchain-powered artificial intelligence. Launched in collaboration with strategic partners including Vodafone and Filecoin, the Foundry aims to provide a robust alternative to conventional centralized AI systems by utilizing verifiable, real-time data from a vast network of connected devices. This development is poised to stimulate growth within the decentralized AI (DeAI) and Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) sectors, reinforcing the integration of real-world data with Web3 technologies.

The Event in Detail

The Real-World AI Foundry was officially introduced at the R3al World AI Summit during the Token2049 conference. This initiative brings together a coalition of founding Alignment Partners, notably Vodafone, the Blockchain Association, Filecoin, and Theta Network. IoTeX positions the Foundry as a direct challenge to what it describes as "closed-source, costly, and controlled" traditional AI systems.

A spokesperson for IoTeX articulated that "Real-World AI requires the opposite: open collaboration, where live, trusted data from machines, people, and sensors flows into shared models." The spokesperson further emphasized blockchain's role in securely recording this data and crypto's function in providing incentives for global participation. The Foundry's core revolves around Real-World Models (RWMs), which are intelligent systems trained on live data from machines, sensors, and human interaction. These RWMs are engineered to comprehend cause and effect, adapt to dynamic environments, and deliver real-time responses across critical sectors such as mobility, energy, healthcare, and robotics. The initiative leverages IoTeX's established network of over 40 million connected devices, which can opt into becoming trusted data sources via ioID, a decentralized identity protocol designed for authenticity verification and data privacy through encryption and zero-knowledge proofs.

Financial Mechanics and Business Strategy

The Foundry's operational framework is built on an incentive model where users contribute data, compute power, or validation, earning rewards each time an AI agent or model accesses their verified data streams. This on-chain registry system ensures that data providers, infrastructure partners, and model builders are compensated based on the quality and usage of their contributions. The governance structure of the Real-World AI Foundry will commence with working groups established by the Alignment Partners, with a planned evolution towards token-based voting and other decentralized mechanisms. This approach is intended to ensure collective control over the ecosystem, preventing dominance by any single entity.

IoTeX’s underlying technology, including its Layer 1 Blockchain, which processes transactions in 2.5 seconds post-upgrade (June 2025), and its decentralized identity protocol ioID (supporting over 11,000 registered devices), provides the foundational infrastructure. The platform also features Quicksilver, an AI engine designed to transform raw IoT data into structured inputs for AI models and decentralized applications, enabling "Physical Intelligence" — AI systems grounded in real-world data. This strategic emphasis on open, verifiable data stands in contrast to the proprietary data sets often utilized by centralized AI, aiming to democratize access and foster transparency.

Market Implications

The launch of the Real-World AI Foundry signals a bullish trend for IoTeX and the broader DeAI and DePIN sectors. It underscores a growing enterprise interest in integrating blockchain technology with AI. This initiative could accelerate the development and adoption of open, blockchain-powered AI, potentially reallocating market share from centralized AI solutions. The emphasis on real-world data integration with Web3 addresses a critical need for verifiable, dynamic information in AI development.

The market has seen increasing investment in decentralized AI initiatives, with projects like Swarm Network securing $13 million for a decentralized AI verification protocol. Additionally, Nous Research, a decentralized artificial intelligence collective, recently raised $50 million in Series A funding at a $1 billion token valuation, focusing on open-source, human-centric large language models (LLMs) on the Solana blockchain. These investments highlight a burgeoning sector driven by the conviction that the future of AI lies at the intersection of open-source development and crypto ethos, promoting transparency, incentivizing participation, and mitigating risks like data poisoning.

Expert Commentary

The Real-World AI Foundry is guided by three foundational principles: being grounded, open, and human. "Grounded" means the AI is anchored in verified, live data from diverse sources, ensuring reliability. "Open" signifies its foundation in open-source and interoperable frameworks, enabling broad contributions and shared benefits. "Human" underscores its commitment to accountability and alignment with human values, ensuring responsible AI development. This framework aims to collectively govern the ecosystem to ensure interoperability, accountability, and ethical alignment in the deployment of AI.