Santiment tracks developer focus on AI crypto projects
Cryptocurrency analytics firm Santiment has been monitoring GitHub activity across various blockchain projects, and their latest data reveals which AI and Big Data-focused altcoins are getting the most developer attention right now. It’s interesting to see what builders are working on during market downturns, when the hype tends to fade but the actual building continues.
They looked at the past 30 days of GitHub commits and other development metrics to create a ranking. The methodology seems straightforward—tracking public code repositories, pull requests, and developer contributions. It’s not a perfect measure of project quality, of course, but it does give us a window into where technical resources are being allocated.
ChainLink maintains top position
ChainLink ($LINK) came out on top with a developer score of 261.03. That’s a significant lead, and what’s more interesting is that they improved their position from last month’s ranking. I think this reflects the ongoing work around ChainLink’s oracle services, which have become increasingly important for AI applications needing reliable off-chain data.
Internet Computer ($ICP) took second place with 235.5 points, also showing improvement from the previous month. Then there’s NEAR Protocol ($NEAR) in third with 134.47 points. All three of these top projects moved up in the rankings, which suggests their development teams are maintaining momentum despite broader market conditions.
Mixed movements across the list
Filecoin ($FIL) landed in fourth place, but interestingly, it was the only project in the top ten that actually dropped in the rankings. Every other project either improved or held steady. Livepeer ($LPT), The Graph ($GRT), Bittensor ($TAO), Qubic ($QUBIC), and Injective ($INJ) all showed positive position changes.
Flux (FLUX) didn’t experience any significant movement—it just held its ground. That’s not necessarily bad, of course. Sometimes maintaining consistent development activity is an achievement in itself, especially when you consider how many projects slow down during bear markets.
What this data tells us
Looking at this data, I’m struck by how development activity doesn’t always correlate with price movements or market sentiment. While traders might be focused on short-term price action, developers seem to be sticking to their roadmaps. The AI and Big Data category appears particularly active, which makes sense given the broader technological trends happening outside of crypto.
It’s worth remembering that developer activity is just one metric. A project can have lots of GitHub commits but still face challenges with adoption, tokenomics, or real-world utility. Still, I find it encouraging to see so much building happening. The data suggests that behind the scenes, teams are pushing forward with their technical work.
Santiment’s tracking provides a useful snapshot, but it’s just that—a snapshot. Development priorities can shift, and what’s hot today might not be tomorrow. Still, for anyone interested in the intersection of AI and blockchain, this list offers some clues about where the technical innovation might be happening right now.
