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Theta EdgeCloud: from Research Academia to the most Advanced AI Compute Infrastructure
March 18, 2024
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Theta Labs CTO Jieyi Long and the Theta engineering team began researching AI, distributed systems and machine learning applied to blockchain in early 2022 when we invited Zhen Xiao, Professor of Computer Science at Peking University to join Theta as an academic advisor. Prof Xiao has published dozens of research papers in various AI disciplines over the past 20+ years after receiving his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University and his undergraduate studies at Peking University.

Optimized AI Compute Task Scheduling in EdgeCloud Virtualization Layer

Jieyi co-authored a research paper with Prof Xiao’s team titled “A Dual-Agent Scheduler for Distributed Deep Learning Jobs on Public Cloud via Reinforcement Learning”, published in August 2023 in ACM KDD’23, which is one of the most prestigious international conferences on knowledge discovery and data mining. The research learning and experience has found its way into the implementation of Theta EdgeCloud virtualization layer, and particularly around how AI compute task scheduling algorithms are optimized in a distributed environment.

In summary, the technical paper describes how cloud computing systems use powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) to train complex artificial intelligence models. To efficiently manage these systems, job scheduling is crucial. This involves deciding the order in which tasks are done and when and where they are run on available GPUs, particularly challenging when these GPUs are highly distributed globally. Traditional methods struggle with this complex task, new approaches described in the paper using AI machine learning show promise.

Traditional rule-based and heuristic-based methods often only focus on one aspect of scheduling and don’t consider how tasks and GPUs work together. For instance, they don’t account for differences in GPU performance and competition for resources, which can affect how long tasks take to complete.

To address these challenges, the paper proposes a new approach called a “dual-agent scheduler.” This approach uses two learning agents, namely “Placement Agent” and “Ordering Agent” in the diagram above, to jointly decide task order and GPU placement and more importantly consider how they affect each other. It also introduces a method to understand and manage differences in GPU performance. The proposed approach is tested on real-world data and shows promising results, and improvement in the efficiency of cloud computing systems.

Tree-of-Thought: A New Approach to Solving Complex Reasoning Problems by LLMs powered by EdgeCloud

In May 2023, Jieyi authored an innovative research paper titled “Large Language Model Guided Tree-of-Thought (ToT)” and its preprint is available here. The insights and approach described in this paper by Jieyi could have fundamental implications for improving the reasoning capability of large language models (LLMs) to solve complex problems. The Tree-of-Thought (ToT) technique is inspired by the human mind’s approach for solving complex reasoning tasks through trial and error and through a tree-like thought process, allowing for backtracking when necessary. This insight and inspiration gives rise to the possibility of mirroring the human mind in complex problem solving tasks by large language models.

Since the release of the preprint, the tree-of-thought concept has gained widespread recognition among the LLM community. The paper has already been cited by dozens of research articles, as well as several technical posts including this Forbes articleSeparately, LangChain, a highly popular open-source language model library, just officially implemented ToT based on Jieyi’s paper (see here for more details). Coincidentally, just two days after Jieyi uploaded his preprint, a research team from Princeton University and Google DeepMind published another widely cited “Tree of Thoughts” paper with very similar ideas. The ToT concept has inspired a line of influential work to improve LLM reasoning abilities, including Graph of Thoughts, Algorithm of Thoughts, etc. In a Keynote speech at Microsoft Build 2023, Andrej Karpathy from OpenAI commented that the ToT approach allows the LLM to explore different reasoning paths and potentially correct its mistakes or avoid dead ends in its reasoning process, which is similar to how the AlphaGo algorithm uses Monte Carlo Tree Search to explore multiple possible moves in the game of Go before selecting the best one.

The research paper introduces the Tree-of-Thought (ToT) framework, which enhances LLMs for solving mathematical problems like Sudoku. The framework involves adding a prompter agent, a checker module, a memory module and a ToT controller. In order to solve a given problem, these modules engage in a multi-round conversation with the LLM. The memory module records the conversation and state history of the problem solving process, which allows the system to backtrack to the previous steps of the thought-process and explore other directions from there.

To enable the ToT system to develop novel problem-solving strategies not found in its training data, we can potentially adopt the “self-play” technique, inspired by game-playing AI agents like AlphaGo. Unlike traditional self-supervised learning, self-play reinforcement learning allows for a broader exploration of solution space, potentially leading to significant improvements. By introducing a “quizzer” module to generate problem descriptions for training, similar to AlphaGo’s gameplay, the ToT framework can expand its problem-solving capabilities beyond the examples in its training data.

To verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique, we implemented a ToT-based solver for the Sudoku Puzzle. Experimental results show that the ToT framework can significantly increase the success rate of Sudoku puzzle solving. Our implementation of the ToT-based Sudoku solver is available on GitHub.

This work has significant implications to Theta, to be viewed as thought leaders in the AI industry, and more importantly as pioneers of the largest hybrid cloud decentralized AI compute infrastructure. This will enable EdgeCloud to support next-generation LLMs and other AI systems such as LLM powered autonomous agents. Such an agent typically requires running multiple deep-learning models orchestrated by a ToT-enhanced LLM acting as the “brain” of the agent. All these models, including the ToT-enhanced LLM, can potentially be run within EdgeCloud, extending the capabilities of Theta EdgeCloud to support AI systems with ever growing complexity.

EdgeCloud Future — a Decentralized Data Marketplace for Training AI Models

Lastly, Jieyi and team collaborated with Ali Farahanchi, Theta’s lead equity investor, and researchers from USC, Texas A&M, and FedML to co-author “Proof-of-Contribution-Based Design for Collaborative Machine Learning on Blockchain”, published in 2023 IEEE International conference on Decentralized Applications and Infrastructure, with the full paper available hereThis research lays the groundwork for future work on Theta EdgeCloud with the opportunity to implement a decentralized data marketplace for training AI models. This novel approach ensures that data contributors are fairly compensated with crypto rewards, training data remains fully private, the system is designed to withstand malicious parties, and verification of data contribution and quality of data using zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs.

This paper can be summarized with the following scenario. Imagine you need to create a new AI model, and you need data and computing power to train it. Instead of collecting all the data yourself, you want to collaborate with others who have data to contribute. But you also want to make sure everyone gets fairly compensated and keep the data private. The system needs to protect against any sneaky attempts to sabotage the model, ensure all computations are accurate, and work efficiently for everyone involved. To achieve this, the paper proposes a data marketplace built on blockchain technology and easy access to a GPU marketplace that is tailored to the needs of an AI developer. Here’s how it works:

Fair Compensation: Trainers are rewarded with crypto based on their contributions to training the model. This ensures everyone gets paid fairly for their input.

Privacy Protection: Data doesn’t need to be moved around, preserving its privacy. Trainers can keep their data secure while still contributing to the model.

Security Against Malicious Behavior: The system is designed to withstand attempts by malicious parties to disrupt or corrupt the model during training.

Verification: All computations in the marketplace, including assessing contributions and detecting outliers, can be verified using zero-knowledge proofs. This ensures the integrity of the process.

Efficiency and Universality: The marketplace is designed to be efficient and adaptable for different projects and participants.

In this system, a blockchain-based marketplace coordinates everything. There’s a special processing node called an aggregator that handles tasks like evaluating contributions, filtering out bad data, and adjusting settings for the model. Smart contracts on the blockchain ensures that everyone follows the rules and that honest contributors get their fair share of the rewards. The researchers have tested and implemented this system’s components and shown how it can be used effectively in real-world situations through various experiments.

In summary, Jieyi and the entire Theta engineering team truly value academic research, experience and how it directly benefits the Theta EdgeCloud platform and products. It is exciting to see how some research concepts like the AI Job scheduler are being rapidly incorporated into the first EdgeCloud release on May 1, while others have longer term implications such as the possibility to build ToT-powered autonomous LLM agents, and a decentralized AI data marketplace for training AI models. In the meantime, Theta is committed to becoming a thought leader in the AI industry by sharing research and releasing core AI building blocks with the wider community starting with Jieyi’s deep research on Tree-of-Thought algorithms.

 

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It’s time for a fair and open level playing field.

Under Gary Gensler it was quite the opposite.

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👉 "The justice department and the FBI are irredeemably compromised and corrupted.
The leadership needs to understand that and act accordingly." ~Tom Fitton

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Christine Lagarde just gave Ripple & Circle A Shoutout!
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👉 Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading

Custom AI assistants that print money in your sleep? 🔜

The future of Crypto x AI is about to go crazy.

👉 Here’s what you need to know:

💠 'Based Agent' enables creation of custom AI agents
💠 Users set up personalized agents in < 3 minutes
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👉 What this means for the future of Crypto:

1. Open Access: Democratized access to advanced trading
2. Automated Txns: Complex trades + streamlined on-chain activity
3. AI Dominance: Est ~80% of crypto 👉txns done by AI agents by 2025

🚨 I personally wouldn't bet against Brian Armstrong and Jesse Pollak.

👉 Coinbase just launched an AI agent for Crypto Trading

same for: https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/686e68f5d405956445e039ff/

🚨 Ripple Picks BNY Mellon to Back RLUSD Stablecoin Amid Major Surge 🚨

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🔹 Institutional Partnership

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🔹 This partnership is designed to build trust with both institutional and retail users by leveraging BNY Mellon’s expertise in asset custody.

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OP: Smqkedqg

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Musk Turns On Starlink to Save Iranians from Regime’s Internet Crackdown

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a visionary behind SpaceX, has flipped the switch on Starlink, delivering internet to Iranians amid a brutal regime crackdown.

This move comes on the heels of Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, as the Islamic Republic cuts off online access.

The former Department of Government Efficiency chief activated Starlink satellite internet service for Iranians on Saturday following the Islamic Republic's decision to impose nationwide internet restrictions.

As the Jerusalem Post reports, that the Islamic Republic’s Communications Ministry announced the move, stating, "In view of the special conditions of the country, temporary restrictions have been imposed on the country’s internet."

This action followed a series of Israeli attacks on Iranian targets.

Starlink, a SpaceX-developed satellite constellation, provides high-speed internet to regions with limited connectivity, such as remote areas or conflict zones.

Elizabeth MacDonald, a Fox News contributor, highlighted its impact, noting, "Elon Musk turning on Starlink for Iran in 2022 was a game changer. Starlink connects directly to SpaceX satellites, bypassing Iran’s ground infrastructure. That means even during government-imposed shutdowns or censorship, users can still get online, and reportedly more than 100,000 inside Iran are doing that."

During the 2022 "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, Starlink enabled Iranians to communicate and share footage globally despite network blackouts," she added.

MacDonald also mentioned ongoing tests of "direct-to-cell" capabilities, which could allow smartphone connections without a dish, potentially expanding access and supporting free expression and protest coordination.

Musk confirmed the activation, noting on Saturday, "The beams are on."

This follows the regime’s internet shutdowns, which were triggered by Israeli military actions.

Adding to the tension, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people on Friday, urging resistance against the regime.

"Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you,” he said.

Meanwhile, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, called on military and security forces to abandon the regime, accusing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a Persian-language social media post of forcing Iranians into an unwanted war.

Starlink has been a beacon in other crises. Beyond Iran, Musk has leveraged Starlink to assist people during natural disasters and conflicts.

In the wake of hurricanes and earthquakes, Starlink has provided critical internet access to affected communities, enabling emergency communications and coordination.

Similarly, during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Musk activated Starlink to support Ukrainian forces and civilians, ensuring they could maintain contact and access vital information under dire circumstances.

The genius entrepreneur, is throwing a lifeline to the oppressed in Iran, and the libs can’t stand it.

Conservative talk show host Mark Levin praised Musk’s action, reposting a message stating that Starlink would "reconnect the Iranian people with the internet and put the final nail in the coffin of the Iranian regime."

"God bless you, Elon. The Starlink beams are on in Iran!" Levin wrote.

Musk, who recently stepped down from leading the DOGE in the Trump administration, has apologized to President Trump for past criticisms, including his stance on the One Big Beautiful Bill.

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GENIUS Act lets State banks conduct some business nationwide. Regulators object

The Senate passed the GENIUS Act for stablecoins last week, but significant work remains before it becomes law. The House has a different bill, the STABLE Act, with notable differences that must be reconciled. State banking regulators have raised strong objections to a provision in the GENIUS Act that would allow state banks to operate nationwide without authorization from host states or a federal regulator.

The controversial clause permits a state bank with a regulated stablecoin subsidiary to provide money transmitter and custodial services in any other state. While host states can impose consumer protection laws, they cannot require the usual authorization and oversight typically needed for out-of-state banking operations.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors welcomed some changes in the GENIUS Act but remains adamantly opposed to this particular provision. In a statement, CSBS said:

“Critical changes must be made during House consideration of the legislation to prevent unintended consequences and further mitigate financial stability risks. CSBS remains concerned with the dramatic and unsupported expansion of the authority of uninsured banks to conduct money transmission or custody activities nationwide without the approval or oversight of host state supervisors (Sec. 16(d)).”

The National Conference of State Legislatures expressed similar concerns in early June, stating:

“We urge you to oppose Section 16(d) and support state authority to regulate financial services in a manner that reflects local conditions, priorities and risk tolerances. Preserving the dual banking system and respecting state autonomy is essential to the safety, soundness and diversity of our nation’s financial sector.”

Evolution of nationwide authorization

Section 16 addresses several issues beyond stablecoins, including preventing a recurrence of the SEC’s SAB 121, which forced crypto assets held in custody onto balance sheets. However, the nationwide authorization subsection was added after the legislation cleared the Senate Banking Committee, with two significant modifications since then.

Originally, the provision applied only to special bank charters like Wyoming’s Special Purpose Depository Institutions or Connecticut’s Innovation Banks. Examples include crypto-focused Custodia Bank and crypto exchange Kraken in Wyoming, plus traditional finance player Fnality US in Connecticut. Recently the scope was expanded to cover most state chartered banks with stablecoin subsidiaries, possibly due to concerns about competitive advantages.

Simultaneously, the clause was substantially tightened. The initial version allowed state chartered banks to provide money transmission and custody services nationwide for any type of asset, which would include cryptocurrencies. Now these activities can only be conducted by the stablecoin subsidiary, and while Section 16(d) doesn’t explicitly limit services to stablecoins, the GENIUS Act currently restricts issuers to stablecoin related activities.

However, the House STABLE Act takes a more permissive approach, allowing regulators to decide which non-stablecoin activities are permitted. If the House version prevails in reconciliation, it could result in a significant expansion of allowed nationwide banking activities beyond stablecoins.

Is it that bad?

As originally drafted, the clause seemed overly permissive.

The amended clause makes sense for stablecoin issuers. They want to have a single regulator and be able to provide the stablecoin services throughout the United States. But it also leans into the perception outside of crypto that this is just another form of regulatory arbitrage.

The controversy over Section 16(d) reflects concerns about creating a regulatory gap that allows banks to operate interstate without the oversight typically required from either federal or state authorities. As the two Congressional chambers work toward reconciliation, lawmakers must decide whether stablecoin legislation should include provisions that effectively reduce traditional banking oversight requirements.

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If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:

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Dubai regulator VARA classifies RWA issuance as licensed activity
Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) leads global regulatory framework - makes RWA issuance licensed activity in Dubai.

Real-world assets (RWAs) issuance is now licensed activity in Dubai.

~ Actual law.
~ Not a legal gray zone.
~ Not a whitepaper fantasy.

RWA issuance and listing on secondary markets is defined under binding crypto regulation.

It’s execution by Dubai.

Irina Heaver explained:

“RWA issuance is no longer theoretical. It’s now a regulatory reality.”

VARA defined:

- RWAs are classified as Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets (ARVAs)

- Secondary market trading is permitted under VARA license

- Issuers need capital, audits, and legal disclosures

- Regulated broker-dealers and exchanges can now onboard and trade them

This closes the gap that killed STOs in 2018.

No more tokenization without venues.
No more assets without liquidity.

UAE is doing what Switzerland, Singapore, and Europe still haven’t:

Creating enforceable frameworks for RWA tokenization that actually work.

Matthew White, CEO of VARA, said it perfectly:

“Tokenization will redefine global finance in 2025.”

He’s not exaggerating.

$500B+ market predicted next year.

And the UAE just gave it legal rails.

~Real estate.
~Private credit.
~Shariah-compliant products.

Everything is in play.

This is how you turn hype into infrastructure.

What Dubai is doing now is 3 years ahead of everyone else.

Founders, investors, ecosystem builders:

You want to build real-world assets onchain.

Don’t waste another year waiting for clarity.

Come to Dubai.

It’s already here.

 

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If you find value in my content, consider showing your support via:

💳 PayPal: 
1) Simply scan the QR code below 📲
2) or visit https://www.paypal.me/thedinarian

🔗 Crypto – Support via Coinbase Wallet to: [email protected]

Or Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thedinarian

Your generosity keeps this mission alive, for all! Namasté 🙏 Crypto Michael ⚡  The Dinarian

 

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