PublicAI (PUBLIC): Decentralized AI Data Network

PublicAI is a decentralized platform building the "human layer" of artificial intelligence by enabling people worldwide to contribute, verify, and earn from data contributions. Founded in 2023 in San Francisco with $10 million raised from NEAR Foundation, YGG, and Foresight Ventures, the platform has onboarded over 1.2 million verified contributors. PUBLIC will soon be available on Bitget!

What is PublicAI (PUBLIC)?

PublicAI is a decentralized platform designed to build the "human layer" of artificial intelligence by enabling people worldwide to contribute, verify, and earn from data contributions. The platform leverages a global network of over 1.2 million verified contributors, including workers, validators, and builders, to source and annotate high-quality, multi-modal datasets across text, image, audio, video, and mapping domains.

The platform addresses key challenges in data annotation and AI training by eliminating international payment and labor barriers. PublicAI enables global participation with crypto payments while using rigorous skill validation, on-chain staking, and stake-slashing mechanisms to ensure data quality.

Core Innovation: PublicAI uses blockchain technology to create transparent reputation systems and quality controls, reducing costs through a decentralized structure while maintaining high data standards previously available only through centralized platforms.

Who Created PublicAI (PUBLIC)?

PublicAI was founded in 2023 in San Francisco by a team of AI, blockchain, and organizational development experts.

Key Team Members:

● Steven Wong (Founder & CEO): Holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science, AI, and Machine Learning from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Steven has prior experience at NetEase Games, Alibaba Group, and as a blockchain lecturer. He has won several national and international programming awards, including the National Olympiad in Informatics (China). Wong specializes in natural language processing, computer vision, and Web3 tokenomics.

● Kenji Narushima (Co-Founder & COO): Serial entrepreneur with experience launching and scaling technology ventures. Kenji drives company strategy and oversees business operations, partnerships, and ecosystem growth.

● Jordan Gray (Chief Marketing Officer): Former Google and NEAR Growth Lead, NFT and DAO ecosystem builder with experience managing over $2 billion in DAO assets. Jordan brings marketing and communications experience within AI and tech sectors.

The founding team combines expertise from AI, blockchain, and global tech sectors with deep connections to the San Francisco Bay Area startup community.

What VCs Back PublicAI (PUBLIC)?

PublicAI has raised $10 million across multiple rounds from leading venture capital firms and prominent Web3 investors.

Funding Breakdown:

● Seed Round: $2 million

● Series A: $8 million

Major Venture Capital Backers:

● Saudi Telecom Group (stc) (Series A lead)

● NEAR Foundation

● Yield Guild Games (YGG)

● Foresight Ventures

● Stanford Blockchain Accelerator

● Blockchain Builders Fund

● Tykhe Block Ventures

Notable Achievements:

PublicAI has been incubated by the Stanford Blockchain Accelerator and won the "Beyond Borders AI Startup Competition" at the MIT Saudi Business Symposium 2025, securing additional Saudi government funding and strategic partnerships.

How PublicAI (PUBLIC) Works

PublicAI operates through core technologies that democratize AI data collection and validation:

Global Workforce Network

The platform connects over 1.2 million verified contributors, including workers, validators, and builders. Users can join as individual contributors or form groups called guilds to provide specialized services while earning crypto rewards for completed tasks.

Multi-Modal Data Platform

PublicAI supports data collection across text, images, audio, video, and 3D/LIDAR through its DataHub platform and Data Hunter browser extension. The Chrome extension allows users to collect and annotate data directly while browsing, earning rewards passively or through active participation.

Quality Control System

Contributors must pass skill validation tests and stake tokens for sensitive tasks. The platform uses on-chain reputation tracking, where high-quality work is rewarded while poor submissions result in stake slashing, ensuring data integrity.

AI-Human Hybrid Workflow

Tasks begin with AI pre-labeling, followed by human refinement and validation. All interactions are recorded on-chain for transparency and accountability, balancing speed with accuracy.

You can access the platform at publicai.io and find documentation at docs.publicai.io. The Data Hunter extension is available on the Chrome Web Store.

PublicAI Token (PUBLIC) and Economics

The PUBLIC token serves as the native utility and incentive token powering the PublicAI decentralized AI data ecosystem.

Token Details

● Token Name: PUBLIC

● Token Symbol: PUBLIC

● Total Supply: 1,000,000,000 tokens (1 billion)

● Blockchain Deployment: Primarily Solana, with support for Binance Smart Chain (BSC)

● BSC Contract Address: 0xA3dC7B2cDc8831b293408E3f4B3A85A6f39d4444

Token Distribution

● Community Rewards: 35% (revenue-driven release, 6-month cliff)

● Investors: 18% (6-month cliff, 8% quarterly release)

● Stake Yield: 15% (linear release over 72 months)

● Team: 10% (12-month cliff, 8% quarterly release)

● Airdrop: 10% (fully released at TGE)

● Foundation: 7% (10-month cliff, 8% quarterly release)

● Marketing: 5% (fully released at TGE)

Token Utilities

● Task Rewards: Earn PUBLIC by uploading datasets, validating work, and participating in campaigns

● Staking: Stake tokens to participate in high-value tasks and earn passive yields

● Governance: Vote on platform decisions and parameter changes through PublicDAO

● Platform Access: Access premium features, developer APIs, and exclusive campaigns

● Referral System: Earn bonuses for inviting new contributors

Why PublicAI?

Traditional AI data collection faces barriers around quality control, global accessibility, and fair compensation. PublicAI addresses these challenges:

Proven Leadership: Founded by AI Ph.D. and blockchain experts with experience at Alibaba, Google, and NEAR Foundation, combining technical knowledge with Web3 expertise.

Strong Funding: $10 million raised from NEAR Foundation, YGG, Foresight Ventures, and Saudi Telecom Group, with Stanford Blockchain Accelerator backing.

Large User Base: Over 1.2 million verified contributors onboarded, demonstrating market adoption and community engagement.

MIT Recognition: Won the "Beyond Borders AI Startup Competition" at MIT Saudi Business Symposium 2025, securing additional government partnerships.

Quality Controls: Skill validation, on-chain staking, and stake-slashing mechanisms ensure high data quality with full transparency.

Global Access: Web3 infrastructure removes geographical and banking barriers, enabling worldwide participation with instant crypto payments.

Multi-Platform Support: DataHub and Data Hunter extension support comprehensive data types across web and browser environments.

PublicAI democratizes AI data collection through blockchain-powered incentives, global talent access, and quality controls that make AI development more accessible and trustworthy.

PUBLIC Goes Live on Bitget

We are thrilled to announce that PublicAI (PUBLIC) will be listed in the Innovation and AI Zone. Check out the details below:

Trading Available: 15 August 2025, 8:00 (UTC)

Withdrawal Available: 16 August 2025, 9:00 (UTC)

Trade PUBLIC/USDT on Bitget!

Community Links: Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Documentation

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are for informational purposes only. This article does not constitute an endorsement of any of the products and services discussed or investment, financial, or trading advice. Qualified professionals should be consulted prior to making financial decisions.