I first encountered Anya at a busy Bangkok night market last year. Every single one of her hand-painted phone cases was a psychedelic explosion of Southeast Asian folklore. Originally, Anya was very excited about Web3. She had a dream of NFTs helping her regain control over her art and how it would be used, reaching buyers directly, no exploitative middlemen included. Yet, she struggled. Gas fees were crippling, the tech was intimidating, and selling her work in a crowded digital playground felt like a scam. She found herself out of the code double-clicking rabbit hole more than she was making art.

Now, flash forward to today. Now, headlines are hovering high with optimism! Today Nous Research announced $50 million in new Series A funding—including investment from Paradigm—to build the next generation of decentralized AI. That’s Paradigm’s biggest AI investment since the FTX implosion, you know! And the Web3 world is certainly excited about the possibilities. I can't help but wonder: what does this really mean for Anya, and the countless other artists like her across Southeast Asia? Is this investment a rising tide lifting all boats, or merely another wave sweeping the little guy out to sea?

AI Revolution Or Creative Exclusion?

Let's be honest. Web3 promised to democratize not just finance and tech, but the entire art world. The reality is usually more like a re-centralization of power, just with different players. As the major labels tighten their stranglehold on SEA artists with even less competition, SEA artists continue facing greater challenges to making their voices heard.

Given that many creatives are still working without the most basic of resources, this new $50 million investment in AI feels tone-deaf. How many more Anya’s could that money have funded directly through grants, mentorship programs, or even just easily available educational resources?

Could AI tools, designed to democratize creativity, actually devalue the unique cultural expressions that artists like Anya bring to the table? What does it mean when algorithms trained on Euro-American datasets streamline and homogenize a multitude of unique Southeast Asian artistic styles? Are we creating a future where the art we love is transformed into a dull, algorithmically-tailored fare? Let’s not let that spirit and narrative go, because that’s what really makes it meaningful. I am scared.

Forgotten Voices, Amplified by Silence

The absence of opposition from SEA artists on this billion-dollar AI investment is just as loud. Are they excited? Skeptical? Or just plain giving up on the reality that their needs are, once again, being ignored? We need to hear their voices. We should hear them out and know their fears and hopes.

So I did what any good curator would do and called up some artist-friends who live or work in the region. One, a digital artist from the Philippines named Ben, told me, "It's cool tech, I guess. I'm still trying to figure out how to pay my electricity bill. Another NFT project promising passive income just rug-pulled me."

That's the reality on the ground. This hysteria for ChatGPT and AI feels like a massive disconnect. As the music industry undergoes massive shifts in the digital age, many SEA artists are just looking to get by.

We need a paradigm shift—pun intended. Avoid the temptation to dump dollars into the newest AI fads. Build, design, and invest directly in those creative communities that Web3 intends to empower.

  • Potential: AI could empower SEA creatives with new tools and workflows.
  • Reality: Most will struggle to access and utilize these tools effectively.
  • Risk: AI could further marginalize their unique artistic perspectives.

What's Next? Funding Creatives, Not Just Tech

We can’t let this potential harden into another shattered hope for the artists who need it most. Let's make sure that this AI revolution doesn't leave Anya, Ben, and countless others behind. The time for empty promises is over. It's time for action. Now’s the time to back up our words with actions and truly invest in the Creatives of Southeast Asia. If this $50 million AI bet doesn’t pay off, though, it will stand as the ultimate symbol of misplaced priorities. Rather than really redirecting resources toward building a truly decentralized and equitable future, it would just be an alluring distraction. We need to look inward to determine if what we’re doing is truly empowering or if we’re just increasing the static.

Here are some concrete actions we can take:

  • Advocate: Demand more transparent and equitable funding models within Web3.
  • Support: Seek out and support SEA artists directly through their NFT projects, crowdfunding campaigns, or by simply sharing their work.
  • Educate: Create accessible resources and mentorship programs that empower SEA creatives to navigate the complexities of Web3 and AI.
  • Invest: Venture Capitalists should allocate a portion of their portfolio to funding SEA based art projects.

Let's not allow the promise of Web3 to become another broken dream for the artists who deserve it most. Let's make sure that this AI revolution doesn't leave Anya, Ben, and countless others behind. The time for empty promises is over. It's time for action. It's time to put our money where our mouth is and actually support the creatives of Southeast Asia. Otherwise, this $50 million AI bet will be remembered as a monument to misplaced priorities, a glittering distraction from the real work of building a truly decentralized and equitable future. We have to ask ourselves if our actions are empowering or just creating more noise.