Paolo Ardoino, CEO of stablecoin issuer Tether, characterized most current artificial intelligence models as a problematic trade-off that favors efficiency gains while undermining individual liberty. Speaking on X (formerly Twitter), Ardoino described the prevailing approach to AI development as fundamentally a "long on efficiency, short on freedom" proposition, suggesting that the pursuit of computational performance comes at the cost of personal autonomy and data rights.
The criticism reflects growing concerns within the cryptocurrency and blockchain community about centralized AI systems and their implications for user sovereignty. Ardoino's remarks align with broader industry arguments that decentralized technologies offer counterbalance to concentrated corporate control over artificial intelligence infrastructure and the data it processes.