Sentient, an OpenAI Rival, Unveils Open-Source AGI Network The GRID

Sentient, a New York-based artificial intelligence company, has introduced The GRID, an open-source network designed for building and monetizing artificial general intelligence (AGI) systems.

The company says the platform is aimed at providing a decentralized alternative to closed AI marketplaces from firms such as OpenAI. Developers can plug in their AI agents, models, or tools and earn token-based rewards, with usage fees and subscriptions available as optional monetization routes.

At the time of its debut, The GRID hosts over 40 AI agents, 50 data sources, and more than 10 models, spanning both Web2 and Web3. These include tools like Napkin, a generative graphics engine, and Exa, a search startup, as well as blockchain-connected agents deployed across Base, Polygon, Arbitrum, and others.

Users can access these through Sentient Chat, an interface for discovering and combining agents into workflows capable of handling tasks such as calendar coordination, code generation, and data visualization.

“The GRID is the world’s largest collection of open-source intelligence, and the economic rails that allow it to scale,” said Himanshu Tyagi, co-founder of Sentient.

“This isn’t just a better app store for AI; it’s about providing the foundational infrastructure to make open-source AI viable for the long-term,” Tyagi added.

A key feature of The GRID is its emphasis on interoperability. The platform allows agents to share memory and coordinate in real time. This is intended to address a challenge in enterprise AI, where multiple “assistant” systems often operate in silos.

Sentient says that over two million people have joined the waitlist for the network, with dozens of partners participating at debut.

The company’s leadership frames the initiative as an effort to democratize AGI development, allowing communities to govern and benefit from the technology rather than concentrating control within a small number of private labs.

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