GenLayer launches a new method to incentivize people to market your brand using AI and blockchain

GenLayer, a startup building decentralized legal infrastructure for AI and machine agents, has launched its first incentivized testnet, dubbed Asimov.

This marks the initial rollout of its multi-phase validator onboarding and technology validation initiative as the company moves closer to mainnet deployment.

The testnet introduces what GenLayer calls the first Intelligent Blockchain, powered by AI models and designed to resolve subjective decisions typically outside the scope of traditional deterministic blockchains.

“Our narrative is that as we enter a world of AI agents—fast and smart—we need a new legal system because the current one is fragmented, slow, and expensive,” said GenLayer CEO and co-founder Albert Castellana, adding that GenLayer “offers a synthetic jurisdiction: a legal system for machines.”

Combining the best of blockchain and AI

Asimov is the first of three sequential testnets in GenLayer’s roadmap, to be followed by Bradbury and Clark.

The company aims to progressively test and scale its “Optimistic Democracy” consensus mechanism. Unlike conventional blockchain validators that simply execute code, GenLayer validators are paired with large language models (LLMs), enabling them to evaluate off-chain data and make subjective decisions—such as determining whether submitted content meets campaign requirements or whether a smart contract’s conditions have been fairly fulfilled.

GenLayer positions this model as essential infrastructure for the coming age of AI agents and machine-to-machine transactions.

According to Castellana, Asimov’s launch is both a stress test and a signal of technical maturity to developers and partners.

Professional validators and developer ecosystem

The validator program for Asimov targets seasoned blockchain infrastructure operators. Selected participants will earn rewards for testing consensus logic, transaction handling, and model coordination. GenLayer has already onboarded dozens of validators, with more in the pipeline. Participation requires a full-time commitment during test phases.

To support builders, GenLayer is releasing a comprehensive developer stack, including the GenLayer Studio, Wallet, Blockchain Explorer, and GS Library (a Python toolkit). The testnet is also paired with a grant program to encourage early development and experimentation ahead of mainnet launch.

Rally-ing

Coinciding with Asimov is the beta release of Rally, a decentralized marketing protocol that automates influencer and community incentive campaigns. Using AI-powered validators, Rally evaluates submitted content — such as social media posts — against campaign rules embedded in smart contracts.

“Rally is our first protocol built on GenLayer,” Castellana told VentureBeat. “It autonomously evaluates community-created content and determines compensation, opening participation beyond influencers to anyone.”

Brands define guidelines (e.g., hashtags, tone, originality), deposit funds, and let the protocol autonomously determine payouts.

This setup avoids manual negotiation and performance disputes common in traditional influencer programs. Content creators, in turn, receive transparent, on-chain compensation if their submissions meet preset criteria.

“In the future, many influencers will be AI agents seeking opportunities to earn—this system accommodates that evolution,” Castellana added.

Rally operates independently of GenLayer’s core team and will eventually be governed by a DAO. From each campaign pool, 1% goes to the Rally DAO, while 10% of protocol fees are allocated to the developers of participating applications.

“The way I see GenLayer is like a toy factory—creating new tools and mechanisms you can’t find anywhere else,” the CEO added. “Rally is just one example of what’s possible.”

How it benefits enterprises

For technical decision makers — including brand managers, growth marketers, and digital campaign leads— GenLayer and Rally offer the ability to automate and decentralize campaign execution and quality control. Instead of manually managing influencer relationships, approving content, and disputing post-campaign performance, teams can deploy smart contracts that use LLMs to judge submissions against predefined standards.

This approach significantly reduces operational overhead, enables real-time feedback and rewards, and ensures fairness and transparency throughout the campaign lifecycle. Additionally, the use of AI agents allows for scalable campaign management across thousands of potential content contributors—human or automated—without additional headcount or vendor friction.

For enterprises that regularly invest in brand visibility, product launches, or community engagement, Rally could streamline marketing operations while offering auditable proof of campaign performance. Combined with GenLayer’s broader infrastructure, brands also gain access to AI-driven decision systems for everything from grants disbursement to smart contract enforcement, potentially transforming legal and operational workflows in Web3 contexts.

Infrastructure for the AI-native economy

GenLayer’s architecture is supported by technical partners including ZKSync (for rollup-based scalability), Heurist (for decentralized model hosting), Atoma Network (for privacy-preserving execution), and Caldera. These integrations ensure that the platform remains performant, secure, and aligned with broader Ethereum-based ecosystems.

The company has raised $7.5 million in seed funding from investors such as North Island Ventures, Arrington Capital, ZK Ventures, and Arthur Hayes’ Maelstrom. GenLayer sees its protocol as the foundation of a synthetic, global jurisdiction—an autonomous legal layer for the AI economy, capable of settling disputes at machine speed with greater accessibility than traditional legal systems.

What’s next?

Following Asimov, the Bradbury and Clark testnets will introduce validator-level LLM configuration, production-grade inference tuning, and autonomous network operations. Each phase is designed to validate system components ahead of a mainnet launch planned for later this year.

GenLayer is actively seeking professional validators and developers to participate in the testnet. Those interested can apply via the company’s website.

With applications like Rally already live in beta, GenLayer presents a new category of intelligent blockchain infrastructure — combining AI decision-making with decentralized governance to unlock more autonomous, transparent, and scalable systems for enterprise and community users alike