Jeffrey Quesnelle

The Quest for Community-Trained Open Source AI Models

Bowen Peng, Jeffrey Quesnelle, Anjney Midha

News Research has unveiled the Distro method, a decentralized training framework that enables the creation of state-of-the-art "Hermes" language models using only standard internet connections and consumer-grade hardware. This breakthrough achieves an estimated 857-fold reduction in bandwidth requirements by allowing individual nodes to train independently and exchange only high-value insights rather than full model weights. By demonstrating that global AI development can be replicated without reliance on high-end data centers or single-entity resources, the project aims to democratize access to foundational models while preserving the neutrality and open nature of the technology.