Tether, the Issuer of the World's Largest Stablecoin, USDT, Is Expanding Its Ambitions Beyond Digital Assets with a New Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform

CEO Paolo Ardoino announced on X that the company is developing AI applications for translation, voice assistance, and Bitcoin wallet management

Stablecoin issuer Tether is expanding its horizons beyond digital assets with the launch of an artificial intelligence (AI) platform.

Announced on X by CEO Paolo Ardoino, the initiative will see the company develop AI applications for translation, voice assistance, and Bitcoin wallet management, ultimately aiming to launch an open-source AI software development kit (SDK) by March 2025.

The platform, to be known as Tether Data, will introduce a range of AI-driven tools designed to run on a wide spectrum of devices, from embedded systems and low-end smartphones to high-performance servers, Ardoino said.

Built on Bare, a JavaScript runtime by Holepunch, the platform will prioritize privacy and data self-custody while ensuring compatibility across varying hardware environments.

Among the initial AI applications being developed by Tether are an advanced language translation tool, dubbed AI Translate, an AI Voice Assistant to enhance voice-based interactions, and an AI Bitcoin Wallet Assistant, designed to streamline crypto transactions with AI-powered automation.

These applications will operate locally on users’ devices rather than relying on cloud-based processing, aligning with Tether's emphasis on data privacy and security.

Tether's foray into AI comes after the company's strategic investment in 2023 in Northern Data, a cloud computing and AI infrastructure firm, highlighting its long-term interest in artificial intelligence.

This investment laid the groundwork for Tether's expansion into the AI sector and complements its broader efforts to diversify beyond stablecoin issuance.

Under Ardoino's leadership, Tether has rapidly expanded into new sectors, including energy, payments, telecommunications, and commodities trade financing. The company also restructured its corporate framework last year to support its growing portfolio of business initiatives.

As it continues to dominate the stablecoin market, evidenced by recent Q4 2024 figures, Tether's aggressive expansion is set to continue.

The company recently released its Q4 attestation, revealing a $13.7 billion profit for the year and $6 billion in profit for Q4 alone. It reported $7 billion in excess stablecoin reserves, a 36% increase year-over-year, ensuring robust liquidity backing for its issued tokens.

With $23 billion USDT issued in Q4 2024 and $45 billion issued over the year, Tether remains the most widely used stablecoin, boasting a total market cap exceeding $140 billion. The firm now serves over 400 million users worldwide, primarily across emerging and developing markets.