We have seen such sci-fi scenes in movies: the R2-D2 robot in "Star Wars" can communicate fluently with humans, autonomously use tools, and is proficient in hacking, even "disobeying" human commands; the Transformers in "Transformers," whether in humanoid robot form or transformed into self-driving cars, drones, or robotic dogs, can think independently and act flexibly. These scenes of interaction between robots and humans, robots and robots, and robots and the physical world, which once amazed and inspired us, are actually closely related to a popular concept this year—"Physical AI."

In January of this year, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang publicly introduced the concept of applying AI to the physical world, such as robotics, at the CES conference, viewing it as the final wave of AI development. Tesla, in its released "Secret Master Plan Part Four," has shifted the company's focus entirely to the fields of AI and robotics, aiming to integrate AI into the physical world on a large scale.

So what exactly is Physical AI that the giants are betting on? What is DePAI, which combines with blockchain? How will DePAI address the deep-seated issues faced by Physical AI?

Figure 3: Definition of DePAI, Source: Based on "Robotics, Physical AI, DePAI: The Next $10 Trillion Opportunity to Rival Bitcoin," created by Pixso

DePAI (Decentralized Physical AI) is the combination of decentralized technology (blockchain/Web3) with Physical AI, allowing physical machines with AI capabilities, such as robots, drones, and self-driving cars, to operate based on blockchain infrastructure, without being owned or controlled by any single company.

Although Physical AI is developing rapidly, it still faces some deep-seated issues: For example, on which platform should robots operating around the world be managed? How should the behaviors of robots be coordinated? How will transactions and payments occur between various Physical AI systems (including autonomous robots, drones, vehicles, humanoids, etc.)? Is there a need for unified standards? How can funding support for Physical AI be provided on a large scale and how can benefits be derived from it? How can liability for accidents involving Physical AI be defined and how can robot behaviors be audited transparently? And so on.

These deep-seated issues are very suitable for resolution using decentralized blockchain technology. The advantages of blockchain technology include:

• Decentralization of nodes: The nodes in a blockchain network are decentralized, transferring control and decision-making from central entities to a distributed network. This eliminates the possibility of a single platform exerting authority or control in a way that diminishes network functionality. The decentralized nature of blockchain removes single points of failure, enhancing the security and reliability of the system;
• Shared unified ledger: The decentralized unified ledger of blockchain can serve as a coordination center, allowing robots in heterogeneous systems to find and coordinate with each other without centralized intermediaries;
• Value exchange: As robots become more autonomous, blockchain may facilitate direct, programmable value transfers (i.e., payments) between robots and humans, as well as ensure autonomous transactions between machines (e.g., payment transactions between robots, decentralized coordination of multi-robot tasks);
• DAO organizational form: Traditional funding sources are slow and isolated, hindering industry development. Blockchain-based DAO platforms eliminate these bottlenecks while providing potential incentives for ordinary investors to participate. Similarly, DAOs can enable users to truly "own" their robots through smart contracts, allowing them to earn from the work of the robots;
• Behavioral auditing and regulation: The immutability of blockchain can be used to record robot behaviors and decisions, increasing transparency. By integrating formally verifiable behaviors into Physical AI systems through smart contracts, additional safeguards can be provided.

The natural fit between blockchain technology and Physical AI makes DePAI an inevitable trend in industry development. DePAI equals decentralization (blockchain) plus Physical AI, representing a fundamental paradigm shift in traditional Physical AI regarding management mechanisms, operational models, and profit distribution. In this new paradigm, machines are no longer seen as corporate assets but as part of a broader shared infrastructure, enabling autonomous operation.

This content is excerpted from the research report published by Web3Caff Research: "DePAI Track 29,000-word Research Report: Facing the Ultimate Development Direction of AI, Can It Become the Next Trillion-Dollar Growth Engine of Web3?"

This report was written by Web3Caff Research researcher Felix, providing a systematic analysis of how DePAI connects computing power, identity, and collaboration to reshape the machine economy, with key points including:

1. AI is transitioning from "digital intelligence" to "physical intelligence," with DePAI becoming the key foundational layer for decentralized machine collaboration;
2. The track forms a three-layer architecture of "agents—computing power—identity," promoting the evolution of machine networks towards autonomy and collaboration;
3. Mainstream projects (Fetch.ai, Bittensor, SingularityNET, etc.) each emphasize different aspects in incentive models and network mechanisms, accelerating ecological differentiation;
4. DePAI still faces three major challenges: standardization, privacy protection, and resource scheduling, as decentralized intelligent networks are taking shape.

📊 The report includes a structural diagram of key points and a representative project matrix, presenting the technical system and ecological trends of DePAI.

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