In the fast-evolving landscape of AI and Web3 convergence, few projects have captured attention as quickly and decisively as Sahara AI. From securing $43 million in funding from top-tier investors like Polychain, Binance Labs, and Pantera Capital, to achieving an 8.7x oversubscription on BuidlPad and simultaneous listings on major exchanges including Binance, OKX, Upbit, and Bithumb, Sahara has emerged as a leading force in the AI-native blockchain space.
But what truly sets Sahara apart isn’t just market momentum—it’s a foundational vision: to build a decentralized infrastructure where AI development is open, participatory, and fairly rewarded. In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Tyler, co-founder of Sahara AI, to explore how the project is redefining the future of AI collaboration through blockchain.
The Real Need Behind AI × Web3
Q: What do you believe is the core reason Sahara has gained such widespread recognition and support?
Tyler: The answer lies not in hype or capital, but in addressing a real structural need. As AI becomes inevitable, we must ask: What should its infrastructure look like? Who gets to participate?
Most AI projects today focus on applying AI to Web3 use cases. Sahara flips that. We’re asking: Can Web3 become the entry point—and fair distribution layer—for the AI era? Our answer is yes—and someone has to build it.
AI’s value shouldn’t be locked inside closed platforms. If AI is becoming infrastructure—like the internet—then we need an open, equitable, and sustainable system to govern it. That’s exactly what Sahara aims to deliver.
We’re not just “adding AI to Web3.” We’re building a full-stack, chain-native operating system for AI—handling provenance, invocation, and revenue sharing—transforming a once-closed ecosystem into one that’s open for anyone to contribute to, build on, and benefit from.
👉 Discover how blockchain is enabling the next generation of AI collaboration.
This is why Sahara became the only AI Layer1 project listed simultaneously on Binance, OKX, Upbit, and Bithumb. Not because of luck—but because we’re solving hard problems at the infrastructure level.
A New Architecture for AI Collaboration
Q: How does Sahara differentiate itself from other Web3 AI projects? What’s your key strategic advantage?
Tyler: Many teams treat Web3 as a fundraising channel and AI as a buzzword. We started with a deeper question: With AI becoming a new technological paradigm, how can Web3 meaningfully participate?
Paradoxically, I believe it’s AI that will finally unlock Web3’s true potential.
We studied how AI actually works—how models are trained, data is used, and value flows back to contributors. What we found was clear: today’s Web3 lacks a native system for supporting complex, high-frequency AI collaboration.
So we built one from scratch—a complete lifecycle system for AI assets: Data → Model → Agent → Revenue. Every stage is on-chain: ownership verified, usage tracked, contributions rewarded.
Think of it as a “universal operating system” for AI. Developers, contributors, and users can collaborate seamlessly—just like Ethereum enabled decentralized finance, Sahara enables decentralized intelligence.
Our strategic positioning? To become the foundational infrastructure for AI in the Web3 era.
FAQ: Understanding Sahara’s Core Innovation
Q: What makes Sahara “AI-native”?
A: Unlike general-purpose blockchains, Sahara is optimized for AI workflows—high-frequency model calls, data provenance tracking, privacy-preserving computation (via TEE), and automated revenue sharing—all built into the protocol layer.
Q: How does Sahara ensure data privacy during AI training?
A: By integrating Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) with on-chain logic, Sahara enables secure model inference and data processing without exposing raw inputs—balancing transparency with confidentiality.
Q: Can developers monetize their AI models on Sahara?
A: Absolutely. Through License NFTs and automated revenue splits, creators earn every time their models or agents are used—creating sustainable incentives for innovation.
Proven Adoption: Over 140K Daily Active Users
Q: SIWA testnet has seen impressive traction—over 3.2 million wallets and 140K daily active users. How does this validate Sahara’s vision?
Tyler: SIWA was never just a testnet—it was a real-world experiment in decentralized AI collaboration. And the results exceeded expectations.
With over 200,000 community data contributors actively labeling, validating, and interacting on-chain—and millions more waiting for whitelist access—we’re seeing the early form of a self-sustaining AI resource network.
This proves a critical insight: AI collaboration isn’t theoretical—it’s already happening, but it lacks the right infrastructure to scale fairly.
Now, we’ve launched public beta for two key products: AI Agent Builder and AI Marketplace. These allow anyone to create, publish, and monetize AI agents—all on-chain, no coding required.
👉 See how anyone can now build and deploy AI agents in minutes.
This is the App Store moment for decentralized AI—an open economy where creation and usage are directly rewarded.
The Three-Layer Architecture: Scalable by Design
Q: Sahara’s three-layer architecture is often described as a new model for AI-native chains. How does it enable long-term scalability?
Tyler: AI isn’t like deploying a simple smart contract. It involves data ingestion, model training, inference calls, and revenue tracking—all requiring privacy, provenance, and multi-party coordination.
Our three layers solve this:
- Infrastructure Layer (L1 Blockchain): Handles asset registration (data/models/agents), TEE-secured execution, and on-chain settlement.
- Application Layer: Includes tools like Agent Builder, Data Service Platform (DSP), and Marketplace—enabling rapid development and deployment.
- Ecosystem Coordination Layer: Connects Web2 apps, Web3 protocols, enterprises, and creators via standardized APIs—fostering composability and network effects.
As more agents go on-chain and usage grows, Sahara becomes more valuable—not slower. We’re not building for one app; we’re building the OS for an entire AI network.
Next Steps: Closing the Economic Loop
Q: What can users expect in the next 3–6 months?
Tyler: Our roadmap is clear: product execution, ecosystem expansion, and mainnet launch.
We’ve already launched:
- AI Agent Builder: Drag-and-drop interface to create agents.
- AI Marketplace: Publish and monetize models instantly.
In July, we roll out full monetization:
- API licensing
- Revenue sharing
- License NFTs
By autumn, mainnet goes live—closing the economic loop. Every action—asset registration, model call, user interaction—will be recorded on-chain. $SAHARA becomes the utility token for payments, governance, and passive income.
We’re also expanding partnerships—integrating with major AI tools, enabling cross-platform model portability, and onboarding enterprise data collaborators.
Sahara is evolving from a platform into a living ecosystem—one where developers, data providers, and users co-create value.
Data as an Asset: Beyond Ownership to Usage
Q: How will Sahara unlock the real value of on-chain data? What’s your edge over other data-ownership projects?
Tyler: Data shouldn’t be consumed once and discarded. It should be reusable, composable, and continuously valuable—like renting out property or licensing software.
Sahara’s Data Service Platform (DSP) turns data into a tracked, tradable asset. Every use—training, inference, remixing—is recorded on-chain, enabling automatic royalty distribution.
Others focus on who owns data. We focus on how it generates value over time. That’s the difference between proving ownership and building an economy.
For enterprises: one-stop access to vetted, licensed data.
For individuals: your data becomes a long-term income stream.
This isn’t just a feature—it’s the foundation of our business model.
Sustainable Incentives: Rewarding Real Use
Q: How does Sahara ensure long-term economic sustainability post-token generation event (TGE)?
Tyler: Most Web3 projects rely on artificial incentives that collapse after hype fades. Ours is simpler: reward real usage.
Every interaction that adds value—labeling data, using agents, building models—is tracked and compensated. No empty engagement farming.
Users can play multiple roles:
- Data contributor
- Agent developer
- Model licensor
- Referral partner
The more you contribute across roles, the more you earn—creating compound incentives that grow with the network.
Value flows from actual usage—not speculation. As long as the system is used, rewards continue. This self-sustaining loop is key to long-term health.
The Future: A New Paradigm for AI Infrastructure
Q: Will AI Layer1s replace traditional blockchains?
Tyler: Not replace—complement. General-purpose chains excel at DeFi and NFTs. AI Layer1s like Sahara exist to serve a distinct need: managing dynamic AI assets (models, agents, data) with complex usage patterns.
We’re not competing—we’re expanding the ecosystem by enabling new forms of collaboration that existing chains can’t support efficiently.
Sahara isn’t just filling a gap or rebuilding old systems—it’s pioneering a new paradigm: AI-native blockchains as essential infrastructure for the next decade of innovation.
Final Thoughts: The Road Ahead
The future Tyler envisions is one where:
- Everyone owns their personal AI agents.
- Data privacy and transparency coexist.
- Value is fairly distributed across contributors.
Sahara aims to be more than a tool—it’s an operating system for decentralized intelligence. Whether as “the AWS of decentralized AI,” “the Tesla of transparent models,” or “the App Store for AI agents,” its mission remains clear:
To build an open, sustainable, and inclusive foundation for the next wave of technological transformation.
👉 Join the movement shaping the future of AI and blockchain integration.
Core Keywords
Sahara AI, AI Layer1, decentralized AI, AI blockchain, AI Agent Builder, AI Marketplace, data assetization, on-chain AI collaboration