**Conversation between Wang Xiaolou and AiMo Network Experts: A "Highway for Machine Intelligence"** **@AiMoNetwork What problem are you solving?** – Wang Xiaolou: Let me ask directly, what exactly is AiMo working on? Why insist on creating "permissionless AI"? – Expert: Current AI services are like gym memberships: you need to use your real name, provide a credit card, be located in compliant regions, and undergo manual approvals. But many developers don't fit into the "standard customer" profile. And AI agents on the blockchain? Forget it—they don't have IDs, nor can they explain why they were scraping data at 2 AM to customer support. AiMo's goal is to transform AI services into vending machines: come once, pay once, get the result—no need to ask who you are or where you're at. **Why is "permissions" the real obstacle?** – Wang Xiaolou: Isn't this just about payment? Can't you just use a card? – Expert: On the surface, it’s payment, but underneath, it’s about identity and access barriers. Today’s AI infrastructure assumes "someone is present," and this person meets specific financial and geographical conditions. Once you switch to global developers or 24/7 blockchain-based AI agents, the process breaks down. It’s like asking a self-driving car to obtain a driver’s license—the logic doesn’t hold. AiMo removes the assumption of "someone being present" and enables machines to invoke intelligence just as they call traffic flow in programs. **What kind of network is this?** – Wang Xiaolou: It sounds like a platform, but you're calling it a network—what exactly is it? – Expert: It has three layers: 1. **Routing Layer:** Directs requests to the appropriate models/tools/agent endpoints. Currently single-node; the goal is a distributed "API oracle" spanning multiple chains and services. 2. **Settlement Layer:** All usage is settled on-chain. Payments are made per use via USDC on Solana/Base, with revenue instantly credited to the provider's wallet—no more monthly accounting. 3. **Asset Layer (planned):** Services are minted as ERC-8004 NFT assets, embedding endpoint info and metadata into NFTs. These assets can be combined, traded, and governed like Lego blocks. **Who can use it, and how?** – Wang Xiaolou: So how does someone connect? Do they need to register for something first? – Expert: No accounts, no KYC. You just need to sign transactions on Solana or Base. Developers call the unified API directly; privacy-conscious teams can avoid binding usage to identity; AI agents can permissionlessly purchase "intelligence," just like using decentralized liquidity. **What’s the relationship between “models, tools, and agents”?** – Wang Xiaolou: So many terms—how do they differ? Is this just another API marketplace? – Expert: In the network, they’re all "paid endpoints." A service can simultaneously function as a model (e.g., Q&A/inference), a tool (e.g., invoking capabilities), or an agent (e.g., autonomous execution). The key is: it must be discoverable, callable, and payable—one unified interface, one payment, and you get the result. **How is this fundamentally different from traditional SaaS?** – Wang Xiaolou: SaaS can charge per use too—is it really that different? – Expert: It’s like the difference between buying a gym membership and using a coin-operated vending machine. SaaS emphasizes account systems and recurring contracts; AiMo emphasizes the atomicity of each transaction and the verifiability of its settlement. Machines aren't great at signing up for memberships but excel at purchasing services on-demand. By treating AI as a "public commodity," anyone can sell, anyone can buy—prices are transparent, and settlements are instant. **What’s the deal with "x402"? Is it just hype or real substance?** – Wang Xiaolou: Everyone’s talking about 402—what’s the story behind it? – Expert: HTTP reserved 402 early on: "Payment Required." It was meant for paid access, but online payments were too cumbersome at the time, so the code stayed dormant. Now, in the Base ecosystem, "x402" activates this concept—machines make requests, settle on-chain, services respond. AiMo builds natively on this payment standard, connecting "pay-per-use intelligence" directly to the blockchain. **What’s the impact on AI agents?** – Wang Xiaolou: Agents are managing millions of dollars—why can’t they buy a $1 inference? – Expert: Because payment and permissions are locked up behind barriers. AiMo equips agents with "intelligence wallets": the agent identifies the model it needs—routing finds the optimal endpoint—USDC settles on-chain—results are returned—and strategies proceed. It’s like swapping tokens on Uniswap, except you’re exchanging computation and answers. **Where are you at today?** – Wang Xiaolou: Don’t just talk vision—what’s usable right now? – Expert: The Open Beta has launched the "AiMo App"—an AI chat application prioritizing privacy and free of content filters. While users test it, they also help stress-test the routing and settlement layers of the network. Currently, the routing layer is single-node, but the distributed oracle network is in progress; core workflows and on-chain settlements are already functional. **What incentives are there for participants?** – Wang Xiaolou: If I use your API, what’s the practical benefit? – Expert: During the Beta phase, there’s a protocol-like rebate: 20% of every call is returned (15% in points for future deductions + 5% in weekly-settled USDC that can be withdrawn). There are also referral rewards and tiered incentives (Silver/Gold tiers with higher rebates and multi-level referral earnings). Early users and evangelists share in the protocol’s growth dividends. **What value does it bring to providers and infrastructure?** – Wang Xiaolou: Do model providers need to open accounts or submit reports? – Expert: No monthly accounting—revenue is credited in real-time on-chain per request. Distribution is global, reaching developers and agents traditional channels cannot. Providers can "list" their capabilities as endpoints, encoding pricing and metadata into assets (future NFTs) that can be combined and governed like building blocks. **How does privacy and content review work?** – Wang Xiaolou: With no content policy, isn’t this potentially dangerous? – Expert: AiMo positions itself as a neutral "intelligence channel," similar to how ISPs don’t censor websites. Compliance, regional controls, and enterprise-grade wrappers can be layered on top; the base remains "usable, payable, verifiable." This stratifies infrastructure and regulatory demands—neutral base, differentiated upper layers. **What’s the truth and misconceptions about this industry?** – Wang Xiaolou: What are common misunderstandings? – Expert: 1. **Misconception: "APIs are open, so agents can use them."** Truth: Payment/identity is the first barrier—without solving it, nothing works. 2. **Misconception: "Decentralization means no accountability."** Truth: Transparent settlement and verifiable routing clarify accountability—who received payment and who delivered results are visible on-chain. 3. **Misconception: "Privacy and usability are incompatible."** Truth: Identity-less settlement and minimal logging routing enable "just get the answer, leave no trace" as the default experience. 4. **Misconception: "Compliance needs to be baked into the base layer."** Truth: Like DEXs, a neutral base with compliance wrappers on top is the scalable path. **Why is this worth betting on for the long term?** – Wang Xiaolou: This sounds like a small upgrade to payments—why talk about long-term impact? – Expert: Transitioning from the free flow of capital to the free flow of intelligence is the next major highway. Standardizing "intelligence" into discoverable, payable, atomic commodities lets global developers and agents access AI like electricity or water. Long-term compounding comes from three dimensions: broader supply, lower friction, and greater autonomy. Infrastructure that is neutral and verifiable becomes the moat that spans cycles. **One-sentence summary?** – Wang Xiaolou: How should I explain this to my friends in one sentence? – Expert: AiMo transforms AI from a "membership-only gym" into a "pay-per-use vending machine"—with on-chain settlement, global accessibility, and respect for machines to consume intelligence without proving they’re human.