Aptos Labs has forged a strategic partnership with io.net, aiming to elevate access to scalable GPU resources and thus enhance the capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies.

The collaboration between Aptos Labs, renowned for its Aptos blockchain ecosystem, and io.net, a leading provider of decentralized GPU compute solutions, is poised to democratize access to AI resources. This initiative comes at a time when venture capital firms are increasingly targeting the burgeoning AI sector.

In a press release shared with crypto.news, it was revealed that io.net and Aptos Labs will join forces to develop a suite of AI models and inference products, slated for future release on the Aptos network. These forthcoming offerings are expected to leverage the Aptos network for seamless payment facilitation.

Notably, io.net's innovative generative AI product, BC8.ai, is already leveraging Aptos to process over 500,000 transactions daily, underscoring the rationale behind deepening the collaboration with Aptos. Mo Shaikh, Head of Aptos Labs, underscored the shared vision of both io.net and Aptos in their commitment to de-risking and decentralizing AI applications on the Aptos platform.

Shaikh emphasized, "io.net’s vision for an accessible, decentralized, and responsible future for AI mirrors Aptos’ vision for the future of blockchain — and the next phase of the internet for billions of people."

This partnership between Aptos Labs and io.net is in line with the growing interest among investors in exploring the potential synergies between blockchain and AI. Notably, in December 2023, analysts at the crypto venture giant a16z crypto published a research paper highlighting key areas where blockchain technology could complement artificial intelligence, particularly by serving as a "counterbalancing force to centralized AI," fostering global, permissionless markets where contributions are open to anyone.

Venture capital firms are increasingly drawn to this intersection, with a substantial portion of venture funding in February allocated to AI companies, amounting to $4.7 billion in investments. This represents a notable increase from the $2.2 billion invested in AI companies in January and the $2.1 billion invested in February 2023, according to data from Crunchbase.