DePAI
Decentralized
Physical AI

Why Decentralization Matters in AI and Robotics

Let’s look at what’s happening.

Right now, Tesla is training its Optimus robot to take on factory work, Figure AI is building humanoid robots for repetitive labor, and Unitree is producing agile robots for security with their quadrupeds patrolling sites in Asia. 

These machines are already working in motion and they’re scaling fast. Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure AI says,

“My belief is that humanoid robotics will not only build the biggest business we’ve ever seen by many, many multiples, but it’s going to be the biggest product launch ever had. You’re basically building synthetic humans, better — going out and just doing human-like work.”

The only problem is that most of these machines are owned by private firms with limited public benefit. The technology is centralized. The goal with Decentralized Physical AI (DePAI) exists to change that by creating open access, shared control, and broader participation. 

By decentralizing the ownership and governance of physical AI systems, DePAI ensures that:

How DePAI Depends on Open Data

For any machine to work in the real world such as move through a city, adjust to a warehouse layout, or respond to changing conditions it needs access to real-time information from its surroundings. Without it, even the most advanced robot is guessing.

That’s the part most conversations leave out. The machine might be autonomous, but it doesn’t operate in isolation. It relies on signals from the outside world. A robot doesn’t have time to wait for a centralized server to hand it a response, it needs to read its environment directly and trust the signal.

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePINs) like MapMetrics, Silencio, and others are already collecting and publishing this data into public systems. Their data powers navigation, diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and more. Instead of being stored in private clouds, it’s made available across distributed networks where anyone, including autonomous machines, can use it.

The Building Blocks of DePAI

For DePAI to work, it needs more than just machines. It needs the right mix of tools, networks, and systems behind the scenes. These are the layers that make decentralized physical AI possible.

It starts with the physical machines. These are the robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles. They’re the visible part of DePAI but on their own, they’re just hardware.

Inside each machine is software. This includes AI models designed to act on their own, without waiting for direct instructions. This kind of intelligence responds to commands, adjusts to new conditions, and make decisions in real time.

However, machines can’t do much without data. They need to understand the world around them. DePAI relies on decentralized networks to provide the real-world information these machines need using data gathered and shared across open networks. 

They also need a way to earn. With on-chain identities and wallets, these machines can get paid for the work they do. They can transact with other systems. They can pay for their own maintenance, access services, or even fund upgrades.

None of this works without governance. Someone still has to decide how these machines are used, who benefits from them, and how value is distributed. That’s what DAOs like OPTIMUS handle. They allow people to co-own physical AI, vote on what gets built or funded, and earn a share of the value those machines create. 

That’s it. Machines, intelligence, data, transactions and governance.

Put it all together, and you get DePAI.