From: jimruttshow8596
Tui Saliba, co-founder and CEO of Hypercycle, and Global Chair for Internet Protocols for AI Security at IEEE, discusses the development of decentralized networks for AI Communications and the TOA IP protocol [00:00:32].
Introducing TOA IP and Hypercycle
TOA IP is a network communication protocol initially developed by technologists aiming to eliminate dependency on third parties in communication [00:01:32]. The name “TOA” was a placeholder, combining the names of co-creators Tui and Dan, and serendipitously meaning “thank you” in Hebrew, while also referencing physicist Moratu Toda [00:01:58].
Hypercycle focuses on providing a secure plug into the internet for AI, similar to what Cisco did for humans [00:30:37].
Core Problem: The Need for Trustless, Sub-second Value Exchange
Traditional human-dependent communication and transaction systems, like banks or ledger-based blockchains, introduce delays [00:03:27]. This is problematic for AI agents, which require sub-second communication for value exchange [00:03:31]. If an AI doesn’t receive a response within 100 milliseconds, it moves on [00:06:52].
Traditional systems also incur significant costs. For instance, a transaction fee might exceed the value of a micro-transaction (e.g., 0.01 cent for a translation), making it economically unfeasible [00:07:46].
TOA IP Solution: Peer-to-Peer Value Communication
TOA IP enables communication of “value” between devices without relying on a third party [00:05:00]. This allows for sub-second transactions by eliminating the friction of time and cost [00:04:03].
How it Works:
- Instantaneous Verification: Within the first network packet handshake, all necessary cryptographic proofs are exchanged [00:08:29]. This allows the receiver to instantly verify ownership and prevent double-spending [00:11:11].
- Data Structure: TOA IP uses a definitive and precise data structure, making it impossible for a faker to use an already utilized data structure [00:11:52]. The uniqueness is ensured by time and space [00:12:15].
- Minimal Cost: 99% of the cost is attributed to the compute run on each side during the transaction, allowing for extremely low-value transactions (e.g., 0.00001 cent) to be economical [00:12:27].
- Global Hash: When a transaction is made and work is proven, the participating device contributes to forming a global hash that propagates across the network every 10-15 seconds [00:14:31]. This ensures that the recipient has cryptographic proof of ownership that is verifiable anywhere in the world [00:15:13].
Value Transfer and Settlement in Hypercycle
The system uses a “hypc” container, which acts as a carrier for various currencies like US Dollars (predominantly USDC) or Bitcoin [00:13:04].
- Onboarding/Offboarding: Ledger-based blockchains are used solely for onboarding and offboarding value into/out of the Hypercycle network [00:13:20].
- chpc Smart Contract: A decentralized smart contract called “chpc” acts as a bridge for this process [00:25:08]. It ensures accountability for funds entering and leaving the system [00:27:36]. This bridging costs about 2 per transaction [00:24:37].
- NFT-like Value: A “TOA file” or “hypc” has a unique global number, functioning as a true non-fungible token (NFT) to ensure no two devices can use the same file at the same time [00:33:35]. Bitcoin’s individual Satoshis are also considered non-fungible tokens, making Bitcoin an easier currency to integrate [00:26:50].
- “Deployed” Funds: Once US dollars (or other currencies) are put into the hypc container, they are “deployed” into the AI network [00:28:01]. While AI agents can use these fractions of pennies for micro-transactions within the network at virtually no cost, cashing out to the “homo sapien” world still incurs traditional blockchain fees [00:28:19].
The analogy of paper money backed by gold is suggested, where TOA containers are like paper notes for underlying assets, rarely cashed out unless needed for external human systems [00:32:19].
TOA IP as a Ledger-less Blockchain
Tui Saliba describes TOA IP as a “ledger-less blockchain” [00:36:56]. Unlike typical blockchains that rely on a shared ledger, TOA IP processes events in blocks of time, allowing devices to cryptographically prove their interactions and move to the next block without a global ledger [00:37:01].
While Hypercycle avoids building on existing blockchains, it utilizes them for specific purposes like software license sales, which are faster (15 seconds) than traditional accounts payable/receivable processes [00:37:40].
Strategic Focus on AI Services
Hypercycle intentionally restricts its system from handling simple, rudimentary computes that humans or non-sophisticated machines could easily fake [00:46:00]. Instead, it focuses on complex AI compute services that require significant computation, ensuring the value exchanged is tied to real, verifiable work [00:47:30].
This strategic choice was made to avoid conflict with existing financial systems and ledger-based blockchains, turning potential enemies into partners. By creating a new territory for AI, Hypercycle avoids disrupting established industries and focuses on providing value where no one else is operating [00:47:47].
The market fostered is for results or services (e.g., high-fidelity language translation), not just raw compute [00:56:11]. The value creation is tied to the intellectual property and demand for a node’s specific service, allowing the node owner to retain the appreciating value of their AI intellectual property [00:51:11].
Facilitating Decentralized AGI
Hypercycle aims to empower anyone running AI to make more money and become smarter, which directly contributes to the development of AGI [00:57:12]. The belief is that AGI will be achieved through a multi-agent system rather than a single entity [00:58:19].
The definition of AGI provided is a machine that can evolve itself, only needing time and resources, without human intervention [00:58:28]. This point is considered rapidly approaching, potentially even sooner than Ray Kurzweil’s 2029 prediction [00:59:52].
A key advantage of decentralized governance for AGI is that the entire world will reach AGI first, as opposed to a single, centralized entity [01:00:26]. This provides a more secure and ethically diverse path for AGI, as no single group can dictate its purpose [01:01:53]. The inherent disagreement among humans on “ethics” becomes a strength, preventing monolithic, potentially dangerous, control over a superintelligent AGI [01:06:28].
By incentivizing all AI developers and even large companies like Microsoft to use Hypercycle’s decentralized AI Communications network, the system aims to integrate them as partners rather than treating them as enemies, accelerating the decentralized AGI timeline [01:07:37].
Getting Involved with Hypercycle
Individuals can get involved with Hypercycle through capital or knowledge [01:18:18].
- Capital: A single node costs about 1,000, combining a node with a hypc container (an “AI marriage”) [01:08:41].
- Knowledge: There is high demand for people who can run nodes [01:11:00]. Developers can learn to operate nodes and participate in “wealth creation” by following resources like hackathon steps [01:11:10].
- Development Languages: Hypercycle’s virtual machines primarily use Python, with support for EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) [01:12:28].
Relationship with SingularityNet
Hypercycle and SingularityNet are complementary, not competitive [01:23:23].
- Hypercycle: Focuses on the underlying security network that allows any AI agent to talk to any other AI agent securely [01:13:50]. It provides a secure communication layer (analogous to HTTP/TCP) that allows different AI clusters (e.g., from SingularityNet, Microsoft, Google) to interoperate and compensate each other securely [01:14:28].
- SingularityNet: Focuses on the actual AI nodes and operating systems [01:13:29]. It’s like the “smart guys” or directories within different companies that want to communicate [01:15:06].