Episode 1: Blockchain and AI

Welcome to the XRPL Insights podcast series. I'm your host, Cassie Hirsh, Director of Content here at XRPL Commons in Paris. Joining us today in the studio is Melanie Damour, Strategic Initiatives Director at XRPL Commons, to discuss her recent publication, Blockchain and AI, available on our website, which explores the opportunities and challenges of integrating blockchain and AI. Welcome to the studio, Melanie. Hi, Cassie. Thanks for having me today.

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So go ahead, tell us a bit about your background and what is your current role at XRPL Commons? So my name is Melanie Damour and I'm Head of Strategic Initiatives here at XRPL Commons. I have a background in strategy consulting where I worked more than eight years in on TMT topics. So technology, media and telecommunications. And why those specific topics?

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I specialized on these topics because I'm really passionate about any technology that has a potential for disruption, hence my interest in blockchain. In 2023, I decided to leave consulting and join XRPL Commons because I wanted to be at the forefront of blockchain development, but also within a setting where the goal is to create value for the different stakeholders based on real-world use cases. Thanks. So let's kick it off. Can you elaborate on the relationship between blockchain and AI and how they complement each other?

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Sure. So, blockchain and AI are two of the most groundbreaking technological developments of the 21st century. And what's really interesting about them is that they're also natural counterweights to each other. For example, AI is mostly led by incumbents and large tech companies, whereas blockchain is mostly led by communities and the fringes. AI mostly focuses on sustaining innovation and improving existing business models.

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Whereas blockchain focuses on disrupting innovation and creating new business models at odds with Web2 and central authorities. So in essence, AI is mostly centralized, whereas blockchain is mostly decentralized. So in a nutshell, what are the three types of synergies between the two technologies? Synergies between the two technologies have the potential to create more secure, transparent ,and efficient systems across various industries. In our paper,

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We've identified three domains that we explore. The first one is around enhancing data trust and privacy. The second one is around optimizing secure transactions. The third one is around enabling decentralized collaboration. And can you double click on the first two? Sure. So for the first one, enhancing data trust and privacy, AI thrives on high quality data while blockchain can provide a reliable data source by ensuring authenticity and accuracy on chain.

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Principles like ZKML, zero-knowledge machine learning can help prove that a model was trained correctly and that a specific type of model is being used. This especially makes sense for high-impact decisions such as grants and loans to prove that the same model is being used for everyone and that bias is therefore limited. For our second use case, optimizing secure transactions, Blockchain offers a secure transaction framework with smart contracts.

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And in some cases, ZKP, zero-knowledge proof, can also help prove that transactions are initiated by humans and not by bots. Blockchain can also help address one of the major challenges in AI, the black box problem, where the type of data fed into AI models or the decision-making process of AI systems is often opaque.

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Decentralized collaboration facilitated by blockchain and AI is an intriguing concept. Could you share some real world examples or initiatives where this collaboration is already making an impact? Combining blockchain and AI promotes a more inclusive and collaborative approach to AI innovation. Blockchain can provide protocols that redistribute the value created by AI across contributors of computational power, for example, but also across data, machine learning models, et cetera.

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Real-world initiatives that are interesting to mention are SingularityNet, for instance, which provides a decentralized AI marketplace where individuals can securely sell their AI algorithms. Companies such as Owkin, a full-stack AI biotech, have developed open-source frameworks that allow deep learning models to be created using Mac GPUs. These platforms enable secure transactions and fair compensation for AI services.

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So as we look towards the future, what are the key considerations regarding the integration of blockchain and AI? As I mentioned a bit earlier, the synergies between blockchain and AI have the potential to create more secure, transparent, and efficient systems across industries. However, there are some challenges, such as the computational demands of blockchain, concerns over data privacy, adversarial machine learning attacks, and also the need for standardization in data formats and protocols.

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Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts from technologists, academics, regulators, and industry stakeholders. And finally, as we're coming to the end of the podcast, Melanie, could you tell us more about how XRPL Commons is contributing to these considerations? XRPL Commons is at the forefront of these considerations, aiming to push blockchain development and solve for better interactions with AI. We explore this theme and more in our Aquarium Residency program,

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and also through executive briefings and multiple events. There's obviously a lot more we can say about the intersection between blockchain and AI, but if you want to know more about it, you can connect with us online or during one of our many events. Thanks for sharing your insights with us today, and we're looking forward to your next articles. Before we go, tell us something about yourself our listeners might not guess from this interview. Alors, quelque chose que les gens ne savent pas forcément de moi, Je suis moitié Française, moitié Indienne, mais l'anglais est ma langue maternelle.

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So what I was saying is that I'm actually half French, half Indian, and English is my mother tongue. And actually, it's really been great working in blockchain in Paris because it is really a multicultural environment. Quelle surprise! I Und Ick bin eene Berlinerin. Ich bin in Berlin aufgewachsen. I actually grew up in Berlin. So I also speak German, and it's part of another cultural aspect that I have as well. And I agree. That's one thing 

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I really enjoy about working at XRPL Commons - our international team and community.

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Are you a developer using XRPL in a novel way for a new use case? Got a story for us? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a line on the Discord, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Interested in finding out more about XRPL? I'd like to give a shout out to David Schwartz's podcast, Blockstars. And give a listen to Lauren Weymouth's podcast, All About Blockchain. Thanks for tuning in.

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