Microsoft patent filing describes paying users for idle computing power to train AI
Microsoft has filed a patent application describing a system that would compensate users for allowing their idle devices to contribute to AI training tasks.
The patent application, numbered US 2026/0349820 A1, was filed on April 30, 2025, and published on November 5, 2026. Titled "Opportunistic Micro-training on Edge Devices Using Spare GPU Utilization," the system would split massive AI training workloads into tiny "micro-tasks" that can run on consumer hardware when it's not in use.
Device Monitoring System
Microsoft's design would monitor real-time metrics including GPU and CPU utilization, memory usage, temperature and power draw to determine when to distribute tasks without interfering with normal device operation. The system includes a trust layer where results from participating devices are cross-verified.
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