Why Does 'AGI Godfather' Ben Goertzel Believe the Future of AI Relies on Blockchain?
Ben Goertzel, known as the "AGI Godfather," argues that the future of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) must be built on blockchain to prevent its control by a few corporations or venture capital firms. He believes the core AGI code should be free and open-source, but that this alone is insufficient without a decentralized infrastructure to run it affordably. His blockchain project, SingularityNET, and the broader Artificial Superintelligence Alliance aim to create a user-owned, decentralized network for hosting and deploying AGI, contrasting with the closed models of companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Goertzel criticizes the shift of other labs from open to closed development. He argues that while a closed path is simpler, an open, decentralized model—akin to Linux and the internet—is both possible and ultimately better for humanity. He envisions an "Agent economy" where individuals orchestrate teams of AI agents to perform tasks, including transactions, on an open network rather than corporate clouds.
While his current model relies on cryptocurrency, plans include offering paid AI services to businesses with the decentralized blockchain as the backend. Goertzel predicts human-level AGI could arrive by 2029 and warns that a gap in understanding and access to AGI could drastically worsen inequality. The first test of his decentralized approach will be the upcoming release of the Agent Omega Claw.
Foresight News06/22 12:10
