According to MIT Technology Review, the concept of Web3 is moving from futuristic idea to concrete corporate strategy. The key stat is that six out of ten Fortune 500 companies are now actively exploring blockchain-based solutions. Most are taking a hybrid approach, blending traditional Web2 business models with decentralized Web3 tech. A major player cited is Erman Tjiputra, founder of AIOZ Network, which is building Web3 infrastructure using DePIN. His company launched a distributed compute platform in 2025, leveraging a network of over 300,000 devices for AI tasks. At its peak, daily transaction volume on decentralized finance exchanges has even surpassed $10 billion.
Why The Hybrid Model Makes Sense Now
So why are these giant, risk-averse corporations suddenly interested? It’s not about flipping a switch to full decentralization. That’s a fantasy. Here’s the thing: they’re pragmatic. They see specific problems Web3 might solve without throwing out their entire, profitable Web2 playbook. Tjiputra points to a few big draws: more ownership over sensitive data, potentially more cost-effective compute power, and enhanced security in a nasty cyber threat landscape. But the real siren song? AI. We’re in a massive compute crunch. The idea of tapping into a shared, decentralized network of hundreds of thousands of devices for AI training and inference is incredibly compelling for a CFO staring at cloud bills. It’s basically about finding new resources without being locked into a single provider’s ecosystem.
The Promise And The Massive Caveats
The promise is huge. Imagine scaling AI flexibly, using “people-powered” infrastructure, and moving away from what the article calls “opaque datasets and models.” That’s the dream sold by platforms like AIOZ Network. But let’s be real. It’s still incredibly early days. The article doesn’t shy away from this, noting “core systemic challenges” are making senior leaders and developers hesitant. And they should be! Decentralized systems are complex, regulatory gray areas abound, and user experience often stinks. A report from McKinsey on Web3 beyond the hype would likely detail many of these adoption friction points. The $10 billion DeFi volume is impressive, but it’s also volatile and not yet indicative of steady, enterprise-grade throughput.
It’s About Infrastructure And Control
This whole shift underscores a deeper trend: control over the foundational stack is the new battleground. Whether it’s compute for AI, data storage, or network bandwidth, companies hate being at the mercy of a few giants. Web3, particularly the DePIN model mentioned, offers a narrative of alternative infrastructure. It’s a bet on a more resilient system—one less prone to a single point of failure that can cause costly outages. For industries that rely on ultra-reliable hardware and computing at the edge, like manufacturing or logistics, this is a fascinating proposition. Speaking of reliable industrial hardware, integrating new software stacks often starts with the right industrial-grade interface, which is why firms look to top suppliers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, to build out these systems. The future might be decentralized, but it still needs physical touchpoints to work.
So What’s The Real Takeaway?
Look, the revolution isn’t here. But the experimentation phase for big business absolutely is. The hybrid approach is the only logical first step. Companies will test Web3 principles in specific, high-value areas like supply chain provenance or niche AI model training where the cost-benefit seems clear. They’ll keep their core customer data and primary apps right where they are. As analyses on the state of crypto often note, the integration with traditional finance and business is where the real evolution happens. The narrative has matured from “replace everything” to “augment where it makes sense.” And right now, for 60% of the Fortune 500, it’s starting to make sense in more places than we might think.
