The shift from DePIN to AI is worth examining closely, but hype alone doesn't cut it. What actually matters is trust—and trust requires real infrastructure.

Think about it: provenance verification and traceable data form the backbone of any credible system. Every piece of information needs to move through the network encrypted, with complete logging and auditability baked in. That's not bureaucracy; that's foundation-building.

Transparency across the entire pipeline—from initial verification all the way through to end-use application—is what bridges the gap between promise and reality. It's how you move from 'we say it's secure' to 'you can verify it's secure.' That distinction matters more than most realize, especially as AI systems handle increasingly sensitive data flows.