The blocking of Anthropic by US authorities has spurred demand for decentralized AI: Grayscale forecast

The decentralized artificial intelligence market is experiencing a period of active growth, and recent events with the blocking of Anthropic models have only accelerated this process. As an analyst, I see a direct correlation between increased government control and interest in alternative, decentralized solutions.
The Anthropic Incident: A Trigger for Risk Reassessment
On June 12, the U.S. government imposed a ban on foreign citizens' access to new Anthropic models — Fable 5 and Mythos 5. The company was forced to temporarily disable these AI systems for all users in the interest of national security. This event instantly highlighted the fundamental vulnerability of centralized architecture: any AI service controlled by a single organization can be shut down or restricted by a regulator's decision.
Why Bittensor is Becoming the "Bitcoin of AI"
Grayscale's Head of Research, Zach Pandl, pointed out a key point: artificial intelligence is becoming a critical economic resource, and its dependence on a narrow circle of companies or officials creates systemic risks. In response, the market has naturally turned its attention to decentralized protocols such as Bittensor. This project offers an open global network for accessing computing resources without intermediaries, making it an analogue of Bitcoin in the world of AI.
The market reaction was immediate: within 12 hours of the news about Anthropic, the platform's native token, TAO, rose by 30%. This is a clear signal that investors have realized the value of decentralization as a protection against external control.
Expert Opinion: Renting Intelligence Under Threat
EdgeRunner AI co-founder Colton Malkerson rightly noted that businesses today are "renting intelligence" from major labs. Platform owners can restrict access to the service at any time without explanation. This argument is becoming increasingly compelling amid tightening regulatory pressure.
Forecast and Conclusions
It is expected that investors will continue to increase their investments in the decentralized AI sector, especially given that even Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is calling for a shift from a soft disclosure regime to mandatory safety checks for powerful models. This will only boost demand for projects that offer independence from government and corporate restrictions.
My assessment: The market is in the early stages of realizing that decentralized AI is not just a niche alternative, but a necessary infrastructure for the sustainable development of the technology. Tokens of projects like TAO could become one of the most volatile yet promising assets in the coming years.