Lightning Labs recently made an announcement on July 6 regarding the release of a toolkit. This toolkit facilitates the integration of AI applications, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, with the Bitcoin network. It enables these applications to engage in cryptocurrency transactions, including sending, receiving, and holding funds.
The purpose of this development is to enhance the speed, affordability, and convenience of payments for AI developers. By leveraging Lightning, they can distance themselves from traditional payment systems that often come with high costs and limitations. Additionally, this integration enables the use of pay-per-use AI models on the Lightning network.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are advanced software applications designed to mimic human-like responses and perform various tasks. Lightning Labs expressed their enthusiasm for the latest advancements in LLM models and the subsequent wave of innovation they bring.
The tools developed by Lightning Labs are based on the “L402 protocol,” which serves as a native authentication mechanism for the Lightning network. Additionally, they utilize the “Langchain” library, which simplifies operations involving AI applications.
By releasing these tools, developers will have the opportunity to create more accessible AI infrastructure that benefits both humans and AI agents.
Lightning Labs also acknowledged the existing issue with current Large Language Models (LLMs), as they lack native web-based payment systems. This forces AI developers to rely on outdated payment methods like credit cards, resulting in additional costs for users.
The team noted that a new class of intelligent LLMs or AI agents faces challenges in accessing fiat payment systems since they are not recognized as registered entities by any nation.
During an episode of the “Stack Sats” podcast on July 6, Kody Low, a developer at the community payments platform Fedi, discussed the interoperability between AI and Bitcoin for payments. He emphasized that Bitcoin is the best solution worldwide for AI, and AI companies are yet to solve their monetization issues.
According to data from the LN analytics platform 1ML, the current Lightning Network capacity is 5,432 BTC, equivalent to approximately $163.5 million. Bitcoin Visuals has reported a decline in the number of LN channels over the past year, dropping from around 80,000 in July 2022 to approximately 70,000 at present.