Tron Launches $100M AI Development Fund

Smart contract blockchain Tron is leaning into the artificial intelligence revolution with the launch of a new $100 million AI development fund.

The aim of the fund is to encourage developers to create applications on the Tron blockchain using emerging AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, both in the backend and frontend of development.

The move forms part of a wider push to integrate AI with the Tron blockchain. Earlier this week, Tron founder Justin Sun tweeted that the platform would provide “an AI-oriented decentralized payment framework” for ChatGPT and OpenAI, incorporating Tron oracle WINkLink in combination with DeFi applications JUST and SUN, as well as AI integration in smart contract development and the APENFT marketplace.

“By combining AI technology with the security and efficiency of blockchain, AI developers can maximize their potential,” Sun tweeted.

Tron’s three pillars of AI

Tron’s AI development fund will initially focus on three key areas: an AI service payment platform, an AI-infused oracle, and AI-generated content.

The integration of Tron’s DeFi infrastructure with AI promises to enable “self-learning, on-the-go, adaptable capabilities in all aspects of decentralized commerce,” according to a Tron spokesperson, including the creation and deployment of smart contracts, payment layer protocols, AI payment gateways and currency settlement.

Tron aims to integrate AI-infused oracles with its layer 1 blockchain, its data-focused layer 2 blockchain, BitTorrent Chain, and its decentralized BTFS file storage system. Here, Tron envisages AI strengthening data-related tasks including underlying calling SDKs and API communication, as well as automated adjustments for optimized user experiences and data transactions within decentralized applications (dapps).

Meanwhile, integrating AI tools into content generation is expected to increase efficiency and empower new use cases for NFTs on the Tron blockchain. On-the-go AI-powered user research will help keep creators and developers aware of market wants and needs. The utility of NFTs will be increased as AI is employed to develop new use cases for digital assets, which Tron anticipates will spark widespread disruption across legacy industries. One idea highlighted by Tron founder Justin Sun is to create personalized NFT assets for users by “analyzing typed textual requirements or existing NFT content.”

While these three areas are the primary focus of Tron’s AI development fund, the platform is actively seeking applications for grant funding from developers with other innovative use cases. “The hope of the initiative is that developers are inspired to use AI in current as well as future applications built on the Tron blockchain,” said a Tron spokesperson.