The patent, published last week, describes an opt-in system, so this isn’t something Microsoft would include as a background Windows task, and it could result in cash payments.
Microsoft is seeking to patent technology that uses idle gaming PCs to train AI models in exchange for some form of digital currency.
Filed in 2025 by Microsoft Technology Licensing and published last week, the patent describes distributing AI training tasks in a system similar to Folding@Home, in which a global network of powerful gaming PCs could use their idle GPU cycles for AI training, PC Games Hardware reports.
The patent, titled Opportunistic Micro-training on Edge Devices Using Spare GPU Utilization (US-20260349820-A1), describes an opt-in system, so this isn’t something Microsoft would include as a background Windows task, at least not in its currently described form. Whenever that system ran idle, it could automatically be looped in to completing portions of larger AI training workloads. The system would then track completed work and issue credits that could be redeemed for use with the resulting AI model, free software, or even cash.
The patent describes a responsive system that tracks utilization of key components like memory, CPU, and GPU, as well as temperatures and power draw, and searches for an ideal time when the GPU is not in use and, in particular, is running cool. The last thing Microsoft wants is its distributed AI training system setting anyone’s PC on fire. Although RTX 50 GPU owners may need to be more careful there.
Users will be able to manually start or stop jobs, too, so it’s not like the system would prevent you from gaming while it churns away on AI training. You’d also be able to set a usage limit to prevent overuse of energy or hardware. Although GPUs don’t necessarily degrade with heavier use like some electronics, I’m not sure whether AI training would be covered by your warranty.
Ahhh. This is what I figured frame generation was for.
So there I was turning the power switch and turning off the router. I already unplug my Ethernet cable anyway.
You’d also be able to set a usage limit to prevent overuse of energy or hardware.
The only way to prevent overuse of energy or hardware is not to run that software in the first place.
They use so much energy and hardware that they must get a huge discount on both of these things.
They’re not going to pay you more than it would cost to do it themselves. So, the system only works if they pay less than their discounted rates, which will obviously be less than the rates that the edge devices pay for their shit.
The system has to be designed to prey on people who don’t realize that they’re running at a loss and are donating their personal funds to a giant corporation.
The patent, titled Opportunistic Micro-training on Edge Devices Using Spare GPU Utilization
Spare GPU Utilization does exist, like if you are playing a game, you might not be using all of the processing power of your GPU. However, when your computer is idle, that is not spare GPU utilization. You have to pay for the energy to run it. It’s not just sitting there like you’ve already bought it.
Sounds like they’re trying to burn though the GPUs in peoples machines that still aren’t exclusively under their control. Also, I imagine this would also necessitate renting your CPU cycles and hard drive space to make it work.
Putting aside any privacy implications which make it an automatic no for me:
- How much would you sell the lifespan your current hardware for?
- How much lifespan of each component would you sell?
I don’t think it would be worth it for me except for ram. I haven’t put in 128GB or anything, but even with what I have, I’m often under-utilizing it if I’m just reading Lemmy or something.
Who wants to bet that the cash reward for letting Microsoft abuse your system won’t even cover the power draw cost?
Where I live. It won’t
I bet you’d get paid in Microsoft Store Credits and not even real cash.
My guess would be achievements and a leaderboard, if you’re lucky.
Hello patent office. I would like to patent a technology that has been around for decades, but, BUT this time it’s AI so it’s totally new. Also, we’re gonna call it voluntary as in “you voluntarily keep using Windows for some fucking reason”.
I just filed a patent for a new system of sucking my dick, ask Satya if he’s interested in investing, I’d be happy to demonstrate
How is this new or novel at all?
Seti@home did it in 1999
What’s new is there’s promise of money they’ll never pay out.
folding@home has entered the chat
Classic microsoft
Honestly I would prefer this over data centers. but the value of the currency earned is less than what the user spends on electricity to do it though.
Sam altmans wet dream, they really are coming for your ram.
Actually, I feel like this would potentially lower the value of investments in data centers even further, outsourcing workloads to ‘folding@home-but-with-a-microsoft-name’.
Further, if this can be done by corporate groups, it wouldn’t be hard to do it as a community project either: get credits when your hardware works on other people’s workloads - and vice-versa = cheap/free LLM queries at home using open-weight models on everyone’s hardware, whenever you need it.
This is just folding@home but makes the world worse.
Seti@home did this in 1999.
Who the fuck leaves their pc “idle”? What is MS sniffing?
The way this worked when Seti@home invented this, is its basically a screensaver. After 10 or 15 minutes, the app starts up and begins churning. Maybe you come back 20 minutes later, maybe 8 hours, and your machine has been on and running at full capacity. Move the mouse and the app stops.
Most people that have a computer. Do you power off every time you’re not using yours?
Yes
I’m guessing you’re probably in the minority. My computer boots in about 10-15 seconds, and that’s still longer than I want to wait when I sit down to use it. I lock it and walk away. I’d imagine most people are similar, many probably skipping the lock step.
I’m guessing you’re probably in the minority. My computer boots in about 10-15 seconds, and that’s still longer than I want to wait when I sit down to use it. I lock it and walk away. I’d imagine most people are similar, many probably skipping the lock step.
You don’t even put the computer to sleep? If not, you’re paying significant money in your power bill just letting it idle. A higher end gaming PC with a GPU will draw about 130w at idle. Assuming you’re paying cheap electricity rates of about 25 cents per kWh, you’re spending $23.40/month just to idle your PC. If you’re in a place with expensive electricity you’re paying $38-$43/month for the privilege. That’s just for the PC. If your display is on with a screensaver or something you’re paying even more!
If you let Microsoft run your GPU like an RTX5090 at full speed every hour you’re idle, you’re looking at an added $105/month for just the GPU or $187/month on expensive electricity!
Fucking thank you. I thought it was insane. This is next level carelessness to me.
I have power management set so that it will suspend shortly after I lock. I don’t specifically hit sleep, it just gets there after like 5 min.
I have power management set so that it will suspend shortly after I lock.
Okay so you DO power down your computer (or rather you set up a routine that does). So @[email protected] 's point is valid. Most people (including yourself) don’t leave your computer idling all the time, so MS can’t use these GPUs under these conditions.
True, but powering down and suspending are different things, even if from a power perspective they’re virtually the same. It sounds like splitting hairs, but if someone says they power off, then I assume they go through the shutdown process.
Unlikely this would cover the additional electricity cost you’d incur doing this for them anywhere but the cheapest power regions on earth.
I pay a flat rate for utilities and hate my landlord. Hmmm 🤔
Go do Folding@home then. As least you can help research instead of helping big tech.
You’ll own nothing and be happy with it.
Can’t even own your stuff you own.
