# Bittensor Drama! TAO down 15%! | E2274

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-startups/bittensor-drama-tao-down-15-e2274
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-startups/bittensor-drama-tao-down-15-e2274.md
Podcast: [This Week in Startups](https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-startups)
Published: 2026-04-11T01:16:21+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisweekinstartups/episodes/Bittensor-Drama--TAO-down-15---E2274-e3hntu7
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/7c624c84/podcast/play/118273415/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-3-11%2F421829010-44100-2-6d037255e0a8.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-week-in-startups/episodes/bittensor-drama-tao-down-15-e2274
Duration seconds: 4914

## Resource

The Bittensor network faces instability following Covenant AI's controversial departure from its subnets. The episode also explores AI-driven video upscaling and practical implementations of Andrej Karpathy's 'council of models' concept.

## Highlights
- Main idea: The departure of Covenant AI from Bittensor subnets caused a significant drop in TAO value
- Practical takeaway: Use Claude personas to simulate a 'council of advisors' for business and life decision-making
- Technical insight: Bittensor subnets create a competitive marketplace where providers outdo each other to lower costs
- Failure mode: High-profile project defections can trigger market volatility and community distrust in decentralized networks
- Practical takeaway: AI-driven video upscaling can significantly reduce the cost of high-quality video processing

## Topics

Bittensor, TAO, Artificial Intelligence, Crypto Markets, Video Upscaling, Claude AI, Decentralized Networks, Subnets

## Chapters
- 1:00 — AI Productivity Tools: A brief look at using Plaud for automated meeting and interview recording.
- 7:20 — Bittensor Network Volatility: Analyzing the recent price drop in TAO and the impact of Covenant AI leaving the network.
- 13:30 — AI Video Processing: Gareth Howells discusses how Subnet 85 uses AI for efficient video compression and upscaling.
- 19:30 — The Value of Upscaling: A demonstration of how AI can transform grainy, old footage into high-quality video.
- 25:50 — Decentralized Computing Power: Exploring the competitive nature of Bittensor subnets and the use of open-source models.
- 32:00 — The Future of Low-Cost Labor: A discussion on how decentralized networks could drive the cost of specialized services toward zero.
- 44:20 — Implementing a Council of Advisors: Ole Lehmann demonstrates building a multi-persona advisory system within Claude using Karpathy's concept.

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## Transcript

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