Tether Unveils Ambitious AI Expansion Plans for Developing Markets
Tether, the company behind the popular stablecoin USDT, is expanding its reach into artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The move aims to leverage Tether's existing user base of over 650 million people worldwide, primarily in developing markets.
The company's CEO, Paolo Ardoino, stated that smartphones are already widespread even in poorer countries, creating an opportunity to distribute smaller AI models without requiring large data centers for every interaction. This approach could provide everyday services in fields including health, personal finance, and sports.
Tether has been building its AI infrastructure, with a developer-grants program supporting local-first AI and payment infrastructure. The initiative focuses on software that can operate on users' own devices rather than relying entirely on centralized cloud services.