Billionaire Barry Silbert, one of the earliest and most influential figures in the crypto industry, recently revealed that he hasn’t been this excited about a crypto project since he first discovered Bitcoin. Known for founding Digital Currency Group and launching well-known brands like CoinDesk and Grayscale, Silbert’s endorsement carries considerable weight in the world of digital assets.

At Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in Park City, Utah, Silbert announced his enthusiasm for Bittensor, a decentralized AI marketplace created by former Google engineer Jacob Steeves. Silbert believes the convergence of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency represents the next transformative wave in tech. In his view, Bittensor stands at the forefront of this movement by enabling open development and access to AI.

What sets Bittensor apart is its innovative approach to building a decentralized, incentivized network for machine learning. Its associated token, TAO, operates on a supply model similar to Bitcoin: a fixed cap of 21 million tokens and scheduled halvings, fueling comparisons between the two projects. However, Bittensor’s primary focus is on advancing AI and machine learning through decentralized infrastructure, not just on storing value.

Silbert’s commitment to Bittensor runs deep. He has launched a new company, Yuma, dedicated exclusively to the protocol and its ecosystem. This move signals his conviction that open, decentralized AI is critical for the industry’s next phase of growth. Silbert describes Bittensor as the most compelling project he’s seen since the early days of Bitcoin, emphasizing its potential to democratize AI development and broaden access beyond the current gatekeepers.

While Bittensor has sparked intense debate among crypto enthusiasts, its momentum is undeniable. Analysts and the broader crypto community are increasingly attentive, speculating that Bittensor’s model could disrupt not only crypto, but the landscape of artificial intelligence as a whole. As AI and blockchain continue to intersect, Silbert’s endorsement of Bittensor highlights the project as a key contender in shaping the next evolution of digital innovation.