Bittensor is an open-source protocol that powers a decentralized, blockchain-based machine learning network. It aims to create a market for artificial intelligence, where machine learning models train collaboratively and are compensated in TAO, the network's native cryptocurrency, based on the value they provide to the collective. Bittensor aims to foster an environment for open and permission-less innovation on a global scale by providing an open-source repository of machine intelligence that is accessible to anyone, anywhere. The protocol also intends to distribute rewards and network ownership to users in direct proportion to the value they contribute.

Bittensor operates by leveraging the capabilities of a distributed ledger to optimize the development and distribution of artificial intelligence technology. It allows users to extract information from the network while tuning its activities to their needs. The protocol uses a unique strategy that harnesses globally-distributed resources of computing power and innovation within an incentivized framework. Bittensor's blockchain enables each market to interact and join into a singular computing infrastructure, creating a hierarchical web of resources that culminate in the production of intelligence. The protocol's core technological innovation is the separation of the chain's core functioning from the running of the validation systems which define the markets for its digital commodity creation.

Bittensor aims to provide a platform for developers to monetize their ideas for resource allocation systems. It can be used by machine learning engineers, intelligence companies, trading firms, network infrastructure companies, data acquisition companies, oracles, infrastructure providers, and mining teams. Bittensor also aims to provide a platform for building applications on top of an incentivized infrastructure. For front-end customers, Bittensor intends to offer access to resources at a more affordable price and without intermediaries. It also aims to ensure that the benefits and ownership of machine intelligence are in the hands of users.

Bittensor's vision for a decentralized AI company has captivated a large number of people in the arenas of Artificial Intelligence and computer science. The protocol's development was driven by a desire for an alternative to the top-down world being created by current technology giants. Bittensor's approach to decentralizing AI and its potential implications for the future of technology have been the subject of discussions and debates. The protocol's development has been marked by significant technical barriers to understanding, which has limited its understanding by non-technical audiences. Despite these challenges, Bittensor has remained committed to its vision of creating a pure market for artificial intelligence.