In the first quarter of 2025, AI startups dominated the venture capital landscape, attracting nearly 60% of global funding, which totaled an impressive $73 billion.

A significant portion of this funding, approximately $40 billion, came from a single round led by OpenAI, underscoring the immense interest in AI technologies.

Amid this surge, Sean Neville, co-founder of Circle, announced the launch of Catena Labs, an AI-native financial institution that has raised $18 million to innovate economic transactions using AI.

In a related development, Nous Research secured $50 million to advance decentralized AI on the Solana blockchain, aiming to create competitive open-source AI models.

This move aligns with the growing convergence of blockchain technology and AI, with advocates like Ben Goertzel calling for decentralized AI systems to enhance innovation.

Prominent venture capitalist Marc Andreessen emphasized the strategic importance of AI control in the ongoing technological rivalry between the United States and China, likening it to a 'Cold War-style' competition.

At the recent Web Summit in Vancouver, a panel discussion revealed the underlying factors driving the surge in AI venture capital, despite the exclusion of crypto topics from the agenda.

The World Economic Forum has noted that the integration of spatial computing, blockchain, and AI will significantly enhance user experiences and interactions in the digital realm.

Nous Research's focus on decentralized training of large language models distinguishes it from traditional AI development methods, marking a shift in how AI technologies are created.

In stark contrast to AI's success, crypto and blockchain startups managed to secure only $4.8 billion in venture capital during the same period.