GAIA, a startup developing decentralized artificial intelligence infrastructure, has unveiled a limited-edition AI smartphone featuring on-device intelligence and privacy-focused AI tools. The first batch includes just 7,000 units, with a public sale set to begin right after the waitlist period, according to a press release shared with crypto.news.
The Gaia AI Phone is built on Galaxy S25 Edge hardware, but its standout feature lies in a new infrastructure layer developed by Gaia Labs. In an interview with crypto.news, GAIA co-founder and COO Shashank Sripada explained that rather than modifying the hardware, the team designed a software layer positioned between Android and applications, enabling decentralized AI inference directly on the device.
“Previously, mobile ‘AI’ was primarily application-level – individual apps with basic AI features. Our approach coordinates AI requests at the infrastructure level, using localized training models and authentication protocols that work across all applications while keeping processing entirely on-device.”
The phone’s software stack features the Gaia AI Platform for decentralized AI tools, a local LLM runtime, a voice-to-agent interface, and a custom Agent Launcher for deploying AI agents. It also comes with on-chain identity and a preloaded Gaia Domain, giving users digital ownership from the start.
Open publishing with verification
For developers and AI builders, GAIA is making its node infrastructure accessible via public GitHub repositories. Sripada noted that while the company is currently piloting an agent marketplace with vetted developers, the long-term vision is to enable open publishing with robust verification measures.
“Our goal is open publishing through a verification system, but we’re prioritizing security and user experience in the initial release. Developers can access our node infrastructure through our public GitHub repositories. We’re expanding developer tools based on community feedback.”
Early adopters will receive a bundle of exclusive perks, including priority access to upcoming AI tools, a preloaded Web3 domain, and network rewards in GAIA tokens for contributing compute power to the Gaia Network. Users can stake GAIA to unlock higher-tier rewards, with every on-device inference request feeding into the broader network. Additionally, the first 3,000 buyers will receive a complimentary ticket to Korea Blockchain Week.
Behind the screen
GAIA’s architecture keeps AI processes isolated from individual apps, with internal security checks already completed to ensure no data leaves the device, Sripada told crypto.news.
On the audit side, third-party reviews are planned ahead of shipping. Sripada added that software updates will initially be delivered over the air directly by GAIA, with a longer-term goal of shifting verification to the network itself under a decentralized trust model.
“We’ve conducted internal security reviews and are finalizing third-party audits before device shipping. Full audit results will be published publicly as part of our open-source commitment.”
The Gaia AI Phone is built for a wide audience — from Web3 enthusiasts to privacy-focused users — delivering fully local AI execution alongside integrated identity features, Sripada told crypto.news. AI agents can also be transferred across devices running Gaia OS, with intuitive backup tools currently in development.
On the hardware side, standard warranties apply, while the open-source software allows for community-driven maintenance and repair. Sripada added that the project’s full security architecture will be detailed in October.
Priced at $1,399 and limited to just 7,000 units in its initial release, the phone is clearly targeted at early adopters eager to explore a decentralized AI ecosystem. GAIA noted that more than 10,000 people have already joined the waitlist, though actual availability won’t be confirmed until shipping begins later this year.
