At CES 2025, through the eyes of artificial intelligence (AI) enthusiast Robert Scoble, we had a sneak peek at how far decentralized AI can go. In one of his recaps, Scoble took the tech community through what he termed “how robots and humans will work together in the future,” through a concept that is interesting, to say the least: Autonomous AI paranets. Autonomous AI paranets (para-networks) are autonomously operated structures that are deeply rooted in decentralized technology. Just like blockchains, these networks are designed to enable AI systems to save, verify, and access data in real-time. Blockchain networks are like digital ledgers that work by having a decentralized group of participants—called nodes—verify and record transactions. These transactions are then locked into a chain of data that can’t be altered whatsoever. Now, paranets work almost identically, but instead of only “data,” their focus is on knowledge—a robot’s operational data or the results of an AI’s analysis. It’s just like “Google” or the “web” for robots but with more defined and accurate information sources. But who ensures the information flowing through these networks is accurate and secure? That’s where the concept of knowledge miners comes in. Knowledge miners: Data validation for robotics The concept of “knowledge miners” borrows from blockchain’s model of crypto mining; they validate and maintain the integrity of data within a paranet. Instead of solving cryptographic puzzles, these miners verify and structure Knowledge Assets—standardized packets of information that robots and AI use to make decisions. Take a case of a robot in a warehouse, which is uploading data about its completed tasks to the paranet. Knowledge miners will validate this information by investigating if the tasks are up to predefined standards and, most importantly, are accurately recorded. This validated data is then added to the paranet, which is accessible to other robots and AI systems. Knowledge miners also act as network fact-checkers. They verify the data that AI systems like Parabot use to generate their responses. Think of them as a team of experts double-checking every bit of information before it reaches you. They ensure that the data stored and shared across the network is relevant and error-free and filter out any misinformation. Decentralized Knowledge Graphs: Paranets at work The best example to actualize how these miners work is looking at OriginTrail’s Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) network. It serves as a shared global knowledge graph of Knowledge Assets, combining blockchain and knowledge graph technology to enable trusted AI applications based on key standards. Paranets as a collection of Knowledge Assets and Knowledge Services According to OriginTrail, the functionality of a paranet, including its knowledge asset parameters, incentivization model, parent blockchain, and service provisioning, are defined by its operator. An operator can be an individual, an organization, or a decentralized autonomous organization. And because the nature of DKG is permissionless, any developer can start a paranet network on the blockchain. Paranets: How robots and humans work together Robert Scoble admits he has been spending time with Otonoma’s Jim Harding to understand how paranets work. Harding described his system as a “smart protocol” that will create interconnected networks between humans and robots. He explained that these robots are designed to work even in the most complex environments. According to Scoble, paranets could serve as a model for Tesla’s proposed Robotaxi network , which would rely on similar protocols to coordinate autonomous vehicles and human operators. Accenture, which is collaborating with Harding, plans to use the technology to create humanoid robots that will help manufacturing industries deal with problems like insufficient personnel. CES Report #28. Back stage at @Accenture seeing a very important new robot/human orchestration system. This is part I. This is how robots and humans will work together in the future. I am lucky that Jim Harding, the creator, has me visit his home in Seattle last week to… pic.twitter.com/hUK3QQ5gVW — Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer) January 8, 2025 When asked what the protocol could offer beyond “helping humans,” Harding said that robots need a network that is not as flawed as the internet is. “ We all realize that its not only humans using the internet, robots and AI do too…They need a place to talk, they need some help to know how to do things in a warehouse. And that’s basically what a paranet is, in a nutshell ” Harding explained. He also said that the web isn’t necessarily secure, and robots need a network where information is fact-based. “ You need to have a programmable intelligent network that knows what exactly is going on. ” From Zero to Web3 Pro: Your 90-Day Career Launch Plan
