NEAR, a prominent Layer-1 blockchain platform, is embarking on an ambitious journey to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its ecosystem, aiming to pioneer user-owned AI within the next 3-6 months. This initiative was announced during a virtual town hall meeting, where NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin outlined the company’s plan to bolster its team with AI engineers and spearhead AI-related workstreams.
A Leap into AI
With the intersection of AI and blockchain technology gaining significant attention, NEAR plans to position itself at the vanguard of this innovative convergence. The company’s roadmap includes immediate plans to recruit AI engineers and kickstart the planning phase for various AI projects. This move is not just about harnessing AI’s potential but also aligns with NEAR’s vision to create an open, decentralized, and user-centric AI ecosystem.
Expertise in AI and Blockchain
NEAR’s co-founder, Illia Polosukhin, brings a wealth of AI knowledge to the table, having co-developed the ‘Transformer’ architecture, which underpins generative AI systems like ChatGPT. This expertise signals NEAR’s serious commitment to not only explore AI technologies but also to lead by example in merging AI with blockchain functionalities.
Open Source AI: A Paradigm Shift
NEAR’s not-for-profit and decentralized nature positions it uniquely to champion the cause of open-source AI. Unlike for-profit entities, where revenue generation often overshadows innovation, NEAR aims to foster a token economy that prioritizes value creation within an open and permissionless ecosystem. This approach is expected to catalyze the development of user-owned AI, ensuring that advancements in this field are accessible to all.
Simplifying Crypto with AI
In recent months, NEAR has emphasized its “chain abstraction” narrative, which seeks to enhance user experience within the crypto space by addressing the complexities of navigating a multichain environment. The incorporation of AI is anticipated to accelerate development and improve ease of use, reinforcing NEAR’s commitment to simplifying access to blockchain technologies.
As NEAR gears up for this exciting phase of AI integration, the broader blockchain community watches with anticipation. With plans for an external announcement in May and the launch of near.ai for AI information dissemination, NEAR is undoubtedly setting the stage for significant contributions to both the AI and blockchain landscapes.
