Introduction

We’re proud to announce the launch of SingularityNET X-Lab, a blockchain based AI startup accelerator.

After the launch of the SingularityNET Beta earlier this year, it became possible for enterprises to source their AI in a decentralized manner. However, AI is not a traditional software solution that can be easily utilized after being plugged into a system. Integrating AI appropriately often requires talent, training, and resources.

AI talent is rare. A new report by MMC ventures concluded that almost 40% of AI startups in Europe have nothing to do with AI. Similarly, other reports have found that only 10% of companies are utilizing impactful AI.

While the rarity of AI talent is an essential factor, the most significant challenge faced by enterprises looking to integrate a powerful AI solution is structural in nature. AI requires a lot of initial training, data calibration, and tinkering to make it adapt to the existing system. Once integrated, according to a Deloitte’s 2017 Human Capital Trends report, the workforce itself needs to be reorganized to allow for humans and AI working together.

Source: Deloitte University Press

The democratization of AI necessitates that everyone benefits from the technology. At the backend, the SingularityNET platform relies on a decentralized network of AI services. Anyone can upload their AI services onto this decentralized network without seeking any permission or approval from a centralized privileged entity.

As AI matures over the next few years and becomes a necessity for almost every organization and as the benefits of sourcing AI in a decentralized manner increase, the demand for a bridge between decentralized AI and those looking to integrate it within their systems will only become more acute. By helping entrepreneurial teams through the SingularityNET X-Lab, we hope to make the entire process of adopting decentralized AI as seamless as possible.

Accelerating Innovation

Being the first mover in an industry comes with its advantages and responsibilities.

Over the past two months, SingularityNET has formed AI collaborations and strategic partnerships with some of the largest corporations of the world. As we continue to welcome other large corporations looking to source their AI needs in a decentralized manner, it is also our responsibility to support and encourage startups seeking to be a part of the decentralized AI economy.

With the launch of the SingularityNET X-Lab, we aim to foster and support promising entrepreneurial teams specializing in the development and application of cutting-edge technologies at the intersection of AI and blockchain.

Through the SingularityNET X-Lab, we provide the startups that are aiming to be a part of the SingularityNET ecosystem with:

An AGI Token Grant to offset the costs of AI services on our platform and provide a financial incentive to support the SingularityNET ecosystem.

Technical expertise and support in the development of AI services and their deployment on the SingularityNET platform.

Marketing and community building mentorships.

Guidance and support if the applicant decides to raise funds for their venture.

Office space provision and on-the-ground support in SingularityNET’s Hong Kong headquarters — provided the applicant is located in Pearl River Delta region, or wishes a subset of their team to spend time there.

The vision and necessity of the SingularityNET X-Lab was highlighted by Dr. Ben Goertzel in the following words:

“I have dedicated the last three decades of my life to the development and application of Artificial Intelligence and I’m excited by the prospect of sharing some of the knowledge I’ve accrued with like-minded entrepreneurs and start-ups. Support for good ideas goes beyond merely financial backing — management expertise, marketing support, and knowing when to hire the right candidates are all factors that can make or break a startup, along with various intangible factors that come along when you join forces with other people and organizations with whom you share visions and motivations at the deepest levels.

At SingularityNET we are out to create a great business and technology ecosystem centered around decentralized AI, but we’re also inspired by bigger missions related to the concept of a beneficial Singularity and the long-term well-being of humanity and its future AI mind children. Working with entrepreneurs who share our grand vision but also have the ability to really execute in practice is one of the most exciting and productive things I can think of doing with my scarce and precious time. My hope is that our new accelerator, as it grows, will support a variety of creative entrepreneurs on their journeys; I expect that all of us will learn a lot through this process!”

Startups that are interested in joining the SingularityNET ecosystem and would like to benefit from the support provided by the SingularityNET X-Lab can apply to be accepted in the accelerator by filling out this form.

We encourage and welcome everyone seeking to join the AI industry to take advantage of this opportunity and begin their journey to democratize AI with us.

A Virtuous Cycle

The SingularityNET X-Lab will advance SingularityNET’s virtuous cycle by facilitating the growth of AI service providers on our platform and supporting a network of startups that offer those services to others. It will foster the growth of our ecosystem and provide a fertile environment for valuable and diverse AI services that will help us reap the benefits of decentralization.

A rich and diverse set of AI services that can coordinate with each other will serve to not only increase our market share in terms of number and types of AI services but will also increase the awareness of our platform. As more startups decide to build on our platform, the SingularityNET ecosystem will evolve to ensure that the process of integrating and utilizing decentralized AI is as seamless as possible.

We are particularly excited that the SingularityNET X-Lab will allow us to work more closely with several members of our community who plan to launch AI startups within the SingularityNET ecosystem. We look forward to listening to their ideas, discovering what they plan to build on our platform, and helping them achieve their goals.

Join Us

We believe the creative potential of our platform lies in its ability to facilitate synergy. In turn, the enhanced cooperation mechanisms of the platform are bound to increase the number of AI services being offered exponentially. We invite you to become a part of this movement to redefine the market for AI services and reveal the latent qualities of decentralized networks.

If you are looking to monetize your AI services or create new ones, we invite you to learn more about the nature of our platform and what its Beta version has to offer by visiting the SingularityNET developer portal.

We are proud of our developers and researchers that are actively publishing their research for the benefit of the community; you can read the research here. For any additional information, please refer to our new roadmap. To stay informed about all of our developments, please subscribe to our newsletter. You can connect with our passionate and talented community by visiting our community forum.