AI and crypto are two of the most transformative technologies of our time. Together, they are unlocking a new trillion-dollar wave of innovation.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already enhancing blockchain systems—from enabling dynamic gas fees to faster fraud detection and more efficient scaling. Meanwhile, blockchain infrastructure promotes transparency, interoperability, and ownership, offering a critical foundation for managing the vast data flows that modern AI systems demand.
Today, one of the biggest opportunities in AI isn't just in building better algorithms—it's in harnessing better data. This is the opportunity that serial entrepreneur and former professional hockey player Trevor Koverko is seizing through his latest venture, Sapien: a decentralized platform that uses crypto incentives to improve data labeling for AI models.
Sapien is a human-powered data foundry that matches enterprise AI needs with a global network of AI Workers—individuals who complete data tasks from their mobile devices. Workers are matched to tasks based on their skills and preferences, creating a dynamic ecosystem that produces rich, high-quality training data at scale.
Launched in 2023, Sapien has already gained impressive early traction, amassing over half a million registered users who have completed tens of millions of data labeling tasks. Recently, Sapien crossed a major milestone with over one million tasks completed in a single day.
Sapien's growing impact is also reflected in its partnerships. Major AI developers such as Midjourney, Baidu, and Alibaba now rely on Sapien's network for high-quality training data. To support its expansion, Sapien raised $10.5 million in a seed funding round earlier this year.
A Data-First Vision for AI
Although Sapien's rise may seem rapid, Koverko's interest in AI and data infrastructure dates back several years. Speaking at TOKEN2049 Singapore last year, he explained how his deep dive into the AI ecosystem revealed a critical insight: AI success depends as much on data as it does on compute.
While much of the AI industry focuses on computational breakthroughs, Koverko saw a different opportunity—one rooted in improving the quality and sourcing of data itself.
As he studied how top AI firms like OpenAI train their models, he noticed a key pattern: OpenAI's most powerful models relied heavily on large-scale human fine-tuning. Billions are being spent annually to curate better data, because no amount of computational power can compensate for poor inputs. In Koverko's words:
"The more humans you have fine-tuning data, the better the model is going to perform."
However, this method of data refinement is messy, expensive, and impractical for most organizations. Koverko recognized the need for a new, scalable model—one that could combine mass human participation with crypto-native incentives and decentralized infrastructure.
Thus, Sapien was born.
Turning Data Labeling into a Scalable Network
Sapien simplifies the complex process of gathering and refining AI training data. Enterprises can easily upload their raw datasets to Sapien's network—often through simple drag-and-drop interfaces—where tasks are distributed to AI Workers.
On the supply side, Sapien gamifies the experience: AI Workers are paid in crypto for completing tasks, and performance-based airdrops add further incentives. This transforms a traditionally tedious process into an engaging, rewarding activity.
Building a Standard for AI Data Interoperability
Sapien's next phase includes building an AI data standard—allowing seamless integrations into its front-end and expanding interoperability across platforms. For this, the team draws inspiration from ERC-1400, the Ethereum token standard developed during Koverko's time leading Polymath, one of the first tokenization platforms.
A Track Record of Building the Future
Trevor Koverko is no stranger to pioneering frontier technologies. After founding Polymath in 2017—raising $60 million to bring real-world assets on-chain—he continued to invest in and support some of the most impactful Web3 and AI projects, including EigenLayer, Sei, Arca, Coinbase, ShapeShift, Matador, OpenLedger, Portal, Sentinel, Immutable, Limitless, and others.
One of his more recent investments is xAI, Elon Musk's AI company focused on advancing human understanding of the universe through safe and aligned artificial intelligence.
Koverko's career reflects a consistent focus: identifying emerging trends early and building the infrastructure needed to scale them.
With Sapien, he is applying that same playbook to AI, rethinking how critical training data is sourced, structured, and improved.
Why Sapien Matters
In an AI ecosystem racing toward greater complexity, better models will be defined not just by faster compute, but by better inputs. Data quality is foundational to model performance, safety, and fairness—and in today's data economy, the companies that control the flow and quality of that data will hold an outsized influence on the future.
By decentralizing the data labeling process and aligning incentives across all participants, Sapien offers a smarter, more scalable alternative to traditional data collection pipelines. It empowers individuals, improves outcomes for enterprises, and addresses one of the greatest bottlenecks in building effective AI.
With Sapien's accelerating momentum, the future of decentralized AI data looks not just bright but transformational.
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