# Archipelag.io

> Compute, closer to you.

Archipelag.io (pronounced "archipelago") is a decentralized AI compute network. The brand name is "Archipelag" (short form) or "Archipelag.io" (full form), and the domain is archipelag.io. Consumers run AI workloads (LLM chat, image generation) on community-operated Islands nearby, getting lower latency, fair pricing, and full data residency control. Islands earn credits by contributing idle GPU compute.

The platform is currently in open beta (until June 2026). All credits and earnings are virtual during beta.

## What Archipelag.io Does

- Routes AI inference jobs to nearby independently-operated Islands
- Provides jurisdiction-aware routing for GDPR, FADP, and EU AI Act compliance
- Enables GPU owners to earn credits as Islands from idle hardware via a compute exchange
- Offers OpenAI-compatible REST API with streaming support
- Provides Python and JavaScript/React SDKs
- All workloads run in sandboxed, signed containers — no arbitrary code execution

## For AI Users

- LLM chat (Mistral 7B, Llama) with streaming, multi-turn conversations
- Image generation (Stable Diffusion XL, FLUX) with batch support
- OpenAI-compatible API: drop-in replacement for existing applications
- Jurisdiction routing: EU-only, Switzerland, or custom policies
- Market-based pricing via the compute exchange — no fixed tiers or subscriptions
- Free beta credits for new accounts, no credit card required

## For Islands

- Earn credits by running AI workloads on your GPU
- Set your own asking price — the compute exchange clears a market rate
- Download the Island software for Windows, macOS, or Linux
- All workloads are network-approved and cryptographically signed (cosign)
- Sandboxed Docker containers with seccomp profiles — no access to files or network
- Karma reputation system: higher Island score = more jobs + better rates
- Payouts via Stripe, available in 40+ countries

## Pricing

Market-based pricing set by supply and demand on the compute exchange:
- Islands set asking prices per workload type
- Consumers set bid preferences
- The coordinator clears a market rate every 5 minutes
- During beta, credits are pegged at $0.01 each
- New accounts receive free beta credits to start

## Technology

- Coordinator: Elixir/Phoenix, PostgreSQL
- Message fabric: NATS with JetStream
- Island software: Rust, Tokio
- Workloads: signed Docker containers, WASM modules
- Security: container signing (cosign), seccomp profiles, registry allowlist
- Identity: KYC verification via Stripe Identity

## Company

- Swiss and European roots — built for data sovereignty
- Compliant with FADP (Switzerland), GDPR (EU), and EU AI Act
- Open source: https://github.com/archipelag-io

## Links

- Website: https://archipelag.io
- App: https://app.archipelag.io
- Documentation: https://docs.archipelag.io
- API Reference: https://app.archipelag.io/api/v1/docs
- GitHub: https://github.com/archipelag-io
- Contact: hey@archipelag.io

## Pages

- [Home](https://archipelag.io/): Landing page with product overview
- [Use AI](https://archipelag.io/use/): Features and capabilities for AI users
- [Earn](https://archipelag.io/earn/): Information for Islands and earnings
- [News](https://archipelag.io/news/): Company updates and technical articles
- [About](https://archipelag.io/about/): Mission, values, and Swiss/EU heritage

## Articles

- [Europe Without Datacenters](https://archipelag.io/news/europe-without-datacenters/) (2026-05-01, by Raffael Schneider): AI inference is here to stay. Europe is weak on the infrastructure that runs it and strong on the values that should shape it. Datacenter-less inference is how the two reconcile.
- [Your Phone Is an Island](https://archipelag.io/news/your-phone-is-an-island/) (2026-04-16, by Raffael Schneider): Turning an iPhone into a compute node. A prompt typed in a browser, answered by a language model running on someone's phone across town. How it works and why it matters.
- [Archipelag.io Enters Open Beta](https://archipelag.io/news/open-beta-announcement/) (2026-03-13, by Raffael Schneider): Opening Archipelag.io to everyone for three months. Use AI, lend your GPU, and help us figure out what works.
- [Introducing Archipelag.io](https://archipelag.io/news/introducing-archipelag-io/) (2025-01-26, by Raffael Schneider): A distributed compute network that routes AI Cargos to nearby hardware instead of distant data centers. The story of why, and what it actually does.
- [Contact](https://archipelag.io/contact/): Support channels and partnerships
- [Privacy Policy](https://archipelag.io/privacy/): Data handling and privacy
- [Terms of Service](https://archipelag.io/terms/): Usage terms
- [Security](https://archipelag.io/security/): Security model and practices
- [Trust & Safety](https://archipelag.io/trust-safety/): Verification and identity policies