AI powered gaming initiative from XPLA and Aethir

XPLA has announced a strategic partnership with Aethir. This collaboration will launch a $10 million joint grant fund  aimed at accelerating  the development of AI-powered games and other innovative projects.

AI powered gaming initiative from XPLA and Aethir

Aethir is advancing decentralized cloud computing by aggregating unused and underutilized GPU resources from users worldwide to create a scalable,decentralized infrastructure. This infrastructure supports high-performance computing needs including AI model training, real-time rendering, and cloud gaming services. By integrating Aethir's GPU network with XPLA's blockchain technology, this collaboration provides developers with the tools and resources necessary to bring innovative projects to market.

The gaming industry is undergoing a significant shift, with AI and decentralized technologies becoming key drivers in  the future of game development. With the global gaming market projected to reach $213.3 billion by 2027, developers need access to the right  infrastructure and resources to create and scale AI-powered games. This collaboration between Aethir and XPLA directly addresses these needs, offering both financial and technical support. XPLA will offer fee grants, game infrastructure guidance, UX optimization, and tokenomics consulting, while Aethir will provide compute grants and technical support for cloud integration.

XPLA and Aethir unveil $10M ecosystem grant program for gaming projects

The joint grant fund is focused on  identifying and supporting AAA-level AI-powered gaming projects and studios. Grants will be awarded  based on the development stage and commercialization potential of the projects, with recipients gaining comprehensive support. This includes assistance in cloud infrastructure setup, blockchain integration, technical consulting, and marketing strategy development from XPLA and Aethir.

Developers will also benefit from  guidance on product development, go-to-market strategies, and access to key resources such as developer tools and technical support. Both XPLA and Aethir will introduce grant recipients to strategic partners, including venture capital firms, key opinion leaders, and exchanges, further supporting projects based on their traction. The program is structured with milestone-based grants, incentivizing the migration of projects to XPLA’s blockchain and Aethir’s decentralized GPU infrastructure.

“Our partnership with Aethir will drive innovation in the AI-powered web3 gaming space,” said Paul Kim, eam Lead at XPLA. “We are excited to combine XPLA's blockchain technology with Aethir's high-performance GPU infrastructure to bring developers' groundbreaking ideas to life.” 

Paul Thind, CRO at Aethir, commented, “We are thrilled to join forces with XPLA to lead the way in decentralized computing innovation. By providing the high-performance infrastructure necessary for AI-powered AAA game development, we aim to shape the future of the web3 gaming industry alongside XPLA.”

Exploring Aethir Catalyst for AI and gaming

The Aethir Catalyst grants program is designed to accelerate the development of cutting-edge AI applications, cloud gaming platforms, and AI-integrated gaming experiences. This program is tailored to help forward-thinking organizations achieve their goals. Aethir Catalyst offers concrete support for innovative AI and gaming enterprises that fulfill the program’s requirements. 

Eligible companies can obtain grants or subsidies for computing power in Aethir’s GPU network. Since scalable and reliable computing resources are the cornerstone of AI and gaming development, Aethir Catalyst provides valuable financial support, allowing companies to focus more of their funds on other operational aspects. 

With a reputable cloud computing infrastructure provider, Aethir Catalyst participants will rely on the industry-leading performance and scaling capabilities available through Aethir’s decentralized network. Projects can scale up in real time, adjusting their GPU supply needs in coordination with our team. 

Aethir Catalyst grants

Aethir Catalyst grants are provided in ATH, Aethir’s native utility token, used to purchase compute power in the Aethir ecosystem. 

The grant value ranges from $5000 to $200,000 worth of ATH and is paid as a one-time payment to eligible companies. 

Aethir Catalyst grants are tailored to each company's unique needs, and applications are assessed based on a wide range of factors to determine the most adequate grant value for eligible companies.

In addition to the financial support, all companies that receive Aethir Catalyst grants will receive marketing support from Aethir to help amplify their AI and gaming innovations. 

Submit your application on this link, and our team will reply as soon as possible with the next steps.

Aethir Catalyst compute subsidies

In addition to grants, Aethir provides further cost reduction through Aethir Catalyst compute subsidies. These subsidies allow eligible companies to save up to 35% on Aethir’s compute services, making it easier for them to scale their operations efficiently.

Similar to grants, subsidies are also paid in ATH. Subsidies can vary and amount to up to 35% of Aethir's computing power base service costs. Innovative AI and gaming companies can significantly reduce their expenses through our compute subsidies. 

For example, a $1/hour compute rate could be reduced to $0.65/hour with a maximum 35% subsidy.

Eligibility criteria

All companies using Aethir’s DePIN stack as a compute provider or collaborating with Aethir via token allocations are eligible for the grant program. 

Application assessment factors include but are not limited to the following: Compute demands, company roadmap, monthly active users (MAU) potential, average revenue per user (ARPU), AI integration opportunities, cloud gaming traction, founder and backer profiles, and overall company success potential. 

There are four categories of AI and gaming innovators that represent ideal candidate profiles for Aethir Catalyst grants:

- Gaming innovators with the potential to bring high APRU and high volumes of active transacting users on-chain. These companies are building exciting gaming experiences that leverage innovative Web3 mechanics and require immense cloud computing support to reach users worldwide efficiently at scale. 

- Pre-launch companies in stealth mode, preparing for product or platform launches, Token Generation Events (TGE), Beta Launches, or Airdrop Programs are welcome to apply. With Aethir’s support, such companies can maximize their launches, jumpstarting their market journey with Aethir’s grants.

- AI-integrated enterprises with openness to include AI agents (Model-as-a-Service) in their daily operations or have enterprise-grade compute needs that require significant computing power for complex machine learning workloads, large language model (LLM) training, AI inference, and other compute-demanding tasks. Aethir can provide the raw computing power for these enterprises at unbeatable prices through grants and subsidies.

- Cloud gaming platforms with high traction and deeply engaged communities are prime candidates for Aethir’s grants. Such platforms have an exponentially growing user base that needs access to premium cloud computing to maintain low latency and maximize profitability.

Regarding compute subsidies, all Aethir compute contracts lasting six months or more are eligible for subsidies and can be combined with grants to maximize savings and acquire compute at a fraction of average market prices.