Market & Regulation
Together AI Partners with Pearl Labs to Cut AI Costs
Together AI Bloghigh confidence
Why it matters
- →This partnership introduces a novel way to reduce AI inference costs using blockchain technology.
- →The integration of cryptocurrency mining with AI workloads could change the economic model for AI services.
- →It demonstrates a potential new revenue stream for AI companies through digital asset generation.
Together AI has announced a partnership with Pearl Research Labs to reduce the cost of AI inference. The collaboration utilizes Pearl's blockchain protocol, which generates cryptocurrency through Proof of Useful Work during AI computations. This innovation has enabled Together AI to offer a new inference endpoint for their Gemma-4-31B-it-pearl model at a 25% discount. As the value of the Pearl cryptocurrency rises, further cost reductions are anticipated. This marks the first product integration of the Pearl Network, with plans for future expansions.
Read originalThe story around this
Earlier coverage that leads up to this article, and what followed. Lines connect each piece to the closest one after it, converging here.
How we got here
- 1NVIDIA and Emerald AI Launch Power-Flexible AI Factories
NVIDIA Blog · March 31, 2026 · Background
- 2AI Models Utilize Real-Time Cryptocurrency Data
AI News · April 24, 2026 · Background
- 3MIT Develops Fast Tool for AI Power Estimation
MIT News AI · April 27, 2026 · Background
- 4MIT and IBM Launch New Computing Research Lab
MIT News AI · April 29, 2026 · Background
- 5Together AI Optimizes Inference for AI-Native Companies
Together AI Blog · May 4, 2026 · Related
- 6Google DeepMind Unveils Co-Scientist AI Partner
Google DeepMind · May 12, 2026 · Background
What happened next
- 7AI Costs Surge, Industry Seeks Solutions
TechCrunch AI · June 5, 2026 · Background
- 8Reflection AI Secures $6.3B Compute Deal with SpaceX
TechCrunch AI · June 22, 2026 · Background
- 9NVIDIA's Inference Stack Cuts Token Costs Significantly
NVIDIA Blog · June 30, 2026 · Background
- 10Together AI Secures $800M in Series C Funding
Crunchbase News · July 2, 2026 · Related
- 11Together AI Enhances Open-Weight Inference Platform
Together AI Blog · July 23, 2026 · Related
More in Market & Regulation
© TechCrunch AIMarket & Regulationother
Judge allows NAACP lawsuit over xAI pollution to proceed
xAI's attempt to dismiss the NAACP's Clean Air Act lawsuit failed after a federal judge ruled that its gas turbines are not exempt mobile sources and that plaintiffs have standing. This legal setback confirms that AI infrastructure operators cannot bypass environmental permitting by classifying heavy industrial equipment as temporary or mobile. The ruling forces xAI to face scrutiny over air quality impacts at its Colossus data center, setting a precedent for how large-scale compute facilities are regulated under existing environmental laws.
TechCrunch AI
© TechCrunch AIInvestment · $20B
Market & Regulationbusiness
OpenAI cuts funding target to $20B amid tepid demand
OpenAI is scaling back its ambitions as investor appetite for massive AI infrastructure bets cools. The company has lowered its fundraising target from $30 billion to $20 billion, with only $11 billion secured so far against a valuation that has dropped from $1.4 trillion. This retreat signals a growing wariness among Wall Street investors regarding the capital intensity of the AI race, forcing even the most dominant players to adjust their financial expectations.
TechCrunch AI
© The AI Daily BriefMarket & Regulationbusiness
Legal AI startup Crosby bids for Weil’s assets
Crosby, a legal AI startup, has placed a bid for the assets of law firm Weil.
The AI Daily Brief