# Early Access
The Inference Grid is currently in its early stages of development. We welcome you to join the Early Access program and help us shape the platform.
# What is the Inference Grid?
The Inference Grid is a decentralized network that enables distributed AI model inference across a global network of independent operators. Built on Lightning Network for seamless micropayments, it provides censorship-resistant access to both open source and proprietary language models.
The platform is permissionless, allowing anyone to participate as an operator while users can easily integrate it as a drop-in replacement for traditional AI providers like OpenAI or Anthropic.
# How does it work?
There are two ways to participate in the Inference Grid:
Developers who want to build on the Inference Grid can do so by either (1) using the fully managed Platform service which provides an OpenAI-compatible API or (2) connecting directly to the websocket relay and building your own custom integration.
Providers who want to participate in the Inference Grid can do so by serving open source models. The relay automatically routes requests to the best model for the task and the protocol ensures that providers get paid for their work.
The public early access program is currently only available to developers. If you are interested in participating as a provider, please reach out to us at hello@inferencegrid.ai.
# What if I don't want to use crypto?
Not interested in crypto? That's okay!
You can use Platform (opens new window), our hosted inference service which provides a more traditional experience that allows you to sign in and purchase API credits.
# Leaderboard
Top Apps
No Apps Yet
Be the first to build something amazing!
Top Providers
No Providers Yet
Join us as an operator and start earning!