Bumps version + changelog, updates release script

Author: ibraheem-opentensor

.github/workflows/release.yml

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
         fi
 
     - name: Upload artifact
-      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
         name: dist
         path: dist/
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - name: Download artifact
-      uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
         name: dist
         path: dist/

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 9.0.0rc1 /2025-02-05
+
+## What's Changed
+* Uses revamped Async Substrate Interface
+* Compatibility with Rao changes added
+* Completely revamped Async Subtensor introduced
+* Numerous improvements, bug fixes, and deprecations
+
+**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/opentensor/bittensor/compare/v8.5.1...v9.0.0rc1
+
 ## 8.5.1 /2024-12-16
 
 ## What's Changed

VERSION

@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.5.1
+9.0.0rc1

bittensor/core/settings.py

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-__version__ = "9.0.0"
+__version__ = "9.0.0rc1"
 
 import os
 import re