Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, the leading issuer of the stablecoin USDT, stated in an interview with "The Block" yesterday (25th) that Tether's next significant bet is on artificial intelligence (AI).
In the interview, Ardoino discussed the growth of USDT, which now has a market capitalization surpassing $110 billion, and Tether's vision for AI. As Tether marks its tenth anniversary in 2024, it has become a digital dollar adopted by all emerging markets and developing countries, eliminating unnecessary intermediaries.
In addition to maintaining its leading position in the stablecoin sector, Tether is currently expanding its business into multiple areas. Last month, they established four new and independently operated business divisions focused on data/AI, finance, energy, and education. Their goal is to reduce intermediary involvement in these fields through blockchain technology.
Tether Develops a Decentralized AI Model In March, Tether officially established a new AI division, "Tether Data," expanding its strategic and investment focus to the AI field to advance AI and peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies and democratize AI models.
Ardoino pointed out in the interview that Tether is investing in the AI field to develop decentralized, localized AI models that can run on smaller devices like personal phones. This approach aims to avoid the risks of centralized AI models processing large amounts of data, thereby better protecting individual privacy.
He believes that AI is set to transform many aspects of our lives, with a societal impact far greater than the Industrial Revolution. Many people's jobs, and even his own, could be replaced by AI within a few years.
This is a reality, but people should understand this technology rather than fear it. Instead, they should think about how to embrace it, enhance their skills, and make themselves indispensable.
Humans need access to AI, but with privacy and peer-to-peer access rights. Therefore, we need to build a localized AI assistant that can help humans survive the risks of centralized AI. This is the long-term vision of Tether's AI division for the next 5 to 10 years.
Additionally, he mentioned that at the end of April, Tether invested $200 million in Blackrock Neurotech, a leader in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, as a major investment in AI technology.
The company's goal is for humans to directly interact with AI through brain-computer interfaces in the future. Tether believes this will enhance individuals' problem-solving abilities while maintaining each person's uniqueness and creativity.