Bittensor co-founder Jacob Steeves acknowledged that the protocol is not yet fully decentralized, saying the network still relies on core-team control in key areas while outlining a roadmap to complete decentralization within the next 18 months. Steeves, known in the crypto community as Const, said the current structure was not a design failure but a strategic decision made during the rapid development phase of artificial intelligence. Bittensor has become one of the most prominent crypto-AI networks, using its TAO token to reward participants that contribute useful digital commodities, including machine intelligence, compute, storage and other services across specialized subnets.
Bittensor Centralization Reflects Strategic Trade-Off for Rapid AI Development
Steeves said Bittensor's centralization reflects the need to move quickly in a fast-changing AI market. Unlike Bitcoin, which was designed primarily as a censorship-resistant monetary system, Bittensor is trying to build an adaptive intelligence marketplace. That has required frequent upgrades, rapid error correction and active protocol design.
Reports summarizing Steeves' roadmap say Bittensor remains directionally guided by the core team, particularly around emissions, validator behavior and protocol-level incentives. The network has expanded significantly, with active subnet teams and validators competing to produce and evaluate different digital services. Decentralization depends on who controls upgrades, who determines incentives, how emissions are allocated and whether governance can function without informal founder authority.
Steeves Outlines 18-Month Roadmap to Reduce Core-Team Dependence
The 18-month roadmap includes several mechanisms intended to shift Bittensor away from core-team dependence. Planned changes include stronger validator competition, new liquidity pools that could help balance market dynamics, a conviction mechanism that allows token holders to signal long-term commitment, and steps to remove value extractors from the ecosystem.
The conviction mechanism is especially important because it could give committed TAO holders more formal influence while making short-term manipulation harder. Liquidity pools and shorting mechanisms could also help create more efficient markets around subnet assets and reduce the risk that attackers manipulate network growth or emissions.
Execution Challenges Pose Risk to Decentralization Timeline
Steeves acknowledged that decentralizing too quickly could slow development or expose the protocol to governance attacks. Moving too slowly could strengthen criticism that Bittensor is decentralized in branding but centralized in practice.
Steeves' message is ultimately a reset of expectations. Bittensor is not yet fully decentralized, but its founder is now putting a timeline on when it should become so.
FAQ
What did Jacob Steeves acknowledge about Bittensor's decentralization?
Jacob Steeves acknowledged that the protocol is not yet fully decentralized, saying the network still relies on core-team control in key areas while outlining a roadmap to complete decentralization within the next 18 months.
Why did Bittensor choose a centralized structure during development?
Steeves said the current structure was not a design failure but a strategic decision made during the rapid development phase of artificial intelligence. Bittensor's centralization reflects the need to move quickly in a fast-changing AI market, requiring frequent upgrades, rapid error correction and active protocol design.
What mechanisms are included in Bittensor's 18-month decentralization roadmap?
The roadmap includes stronger validator competition, new liquidity pools that could help balance market dynamics, a conviction mechanism that allows token holders to signal long-term commitment, and steps to remove value extractors from the ecosystem.
