Pearl launches L1 blockchain combining AI inference with mining via Proof-of-Useful-Work
- —Pearl mainnet launched April 27, 2026, with a target block interval of roughly 194 seconds
- —PoUW consensus uses matrix multiplications for AI inference with overhead of about 1+o(1)
- —PRL rallied 67% in 24 hours to an all-time high above $1.60 in late September 2026
- —Together AI launched an inference endpoint priced over 25% below market rates, subsidized by PRL emissions
Why it matters: The project tests a model where mining doubles as useful AI compute, though much of the network's power is not yet tied to paying customers.
Source: Crypto Briefing