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.
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”.
How is this new or novel at all?
folding@home has entered the chat
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
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.
This is just folding@home but makes the world worse.
Classic microsoft
Sam altmans wet dream, they really are coming for your ram.
Holy fuck. They’re turning users into slot machines.
Down the line, i bet you can opt into this to avoid ads
… some ads, not all.
Ok no ads get blocked now, and you pay is 10 bucks a month to turn it off
Six months after that, the $10 a month plan now includes ads, upgrade to Premium for only $5 a month more for a “no ads experience”!
(Then six months after that, all plans have ads, ala the Disney Plus approach to enshittification.)
Now 10 bucks a month for the “premium gaming plan” will let you turn it off whenever a game is running and it’s directly impacting your framerate, whenever you’re not using the computer heavily it will still be on.
Opt in? That’s cute. You’ll be opted in automatically and good fucking luck finding the opt out.
Ads? Tolls.
Only if you’re a dorito do the dew level gamer
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 🤔
it’s like BOINC but it actively contributes to the orphan killing machine instead! wow
Voluntary distributed computing has always had a lot of good uses. This is not one.
I was with the effort to break 64 bit encryption (RC5-64), with the cow moo whenever you completed a unit. Fun times.
You’ll own nothing and be happy with it.
Can’t even own your stuff you own.
I wonder if they’ll use XNO (Nano)
Who the fuck leaves their pc “idle”? What is MS sniffing?
Most people that have a computer. Do you power off every time you’re not using yours?
Not power off, but suspend it every single time I’m not using it. It is never on when I’m not using it. I have never done that. Why waste power and the life of the parts? Seems very unnecessary to me.
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 @Flatearth_Habeebi@lemmy.zip '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.
Damn, dude. You had me first.
