3.4 Centralized Platforms

Most robotics and AI marketplaces today are centralized, controlled by single corporations whose primary objective is value extraction. These platforms act as gatekeepers, controlling access to jobs, data, and payments.

Centralized control creates several flaws. Revenue distribution is skewed, with platforms taking significant fees that reduce incentives for robot owners and developers. Transparency is limited: clients cannot always see how jobs are allocated, and contributors have no clarity on how their data or performance is evaluated. Censorship and gatekeeping are also inherent risks, a platform can deny access, delist contributors, or change rules unilaterally.

This concentration of power discourages innovation, prevents fair competition, and leaves the robotics economy vulnerable to corporate agendas. A system built this way cannot scale into an open, global network.