AI Development Platform OpenGradient Integrates Walrus as Dedicated Decentralized Storage Hub

OpenGradient, a leading research lab focused on building composable, user-owned AI systems, today announced an integration with Walrus, the decentralized data storage protocol built on Sui. OpenGradient’s flagship L1 network now uses Walrus as its decentralized storage backbone, replacing its legacy IPFS-based setup and enabling the platform to host over 100 AI models across dozens of applications and ecosystems.

With Walrus’ programmable, verifiable storage layer, OpenGradient will support private and proprietary models that use smart contract-enforced encryption and access control for users, adding a layer of privacy and removing the need for centralized data storage solutions. Through the integration, OpenGradient will enable new tokenization and monetization strategies to be implemented for inference and fine-tuning of AI models, allowing users to maintain control over the development process.

“As we continue to expand the capabilities of Walrus, it's becoming clear that developers for advanced AI models that leverage decentralized infrastructure are wanting for storage solutions,” said Rebecca Simmonds, Managing Executive at Walrus Foundation. “The only options that have been available have come with the risks to privacy and control that are inherent to centralized architecture, making it nearly impossible to build truly decentralized models. Our integration with OpenGradient allows us to fill that need, providing a decentralized storage solution for users that puts them back in control of their data.”

The integration addresses several key roadblocks for OpenGradient’s L1 network, allowing it to overcome limitations with scalability while maintaining its private IPFS swarm framework. The partnership will connect OpenGradient to Walrus’ programmable access control via Seal, a decentralized secrets management service, allowing the enforcement of advanced permissions to occur directly on chain and unlocking compatibility for several blockchain ecosystems for AI models.

OpenGradient has long championed decentralized AI applications and is dedicated to giving its users complete control over the creation of virtually any AI model by virtue of its platform. Following this integration, OpenGradient also looks to incorporate private and proprietary model support through Walrus’ programmable Sui smart contracts and is working to allow for larger, more complex AI models that are now possible to host through the highly performant Walrus network.

“AI isn’t something that belongs to a handful of massive tech companies; it belongs to users and always has,” said Matthew Wang, Cofounder and CEO at OpenGradient. “It's been our mission to make this idea a reality, giving both seasoned AI developers and everyday consumers the ability to create, modify, and own their own AI models. Thanks to Walrus, we are one step closer to making that dream a reality, opening up the possibilities for more advanced models and truly decentralized infrastructure for data storage.”

Walrus data storage and programmability are available now to OpenGradient users and developers, powering a new generation of decentralized agents, smart assistants, and AI-powered tools across chains and use cases.

To sign up for OpenGradient’s latest offering, please visit: https://www.opengradient.ai/agents/memsync