The convergence of Web3 and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a significant focus for blockchain startups, capturing more than 11% of total venture capital (VC) funding in the blockchain sector. While VC funding has declined in recent times, the fusion of Web3 and AI has emerged as an attractive choice for investors.
A report by Stan Miroshnik at TenSquared (10SQ) reveals that VC investment in Web3 and AI startups exceeded $637 million in 2023. These startups are working at the intersection of blockchain and AI, focusing on areas like code writing tools, decentralized data storage, AI-enabled Web3 security solutions, and more.
Privacy Challenges and Blockchain Solutions
One of the major challenges AI faces is the potential compromise of privacy. AI systems rely on vast amounts of data, which can be exploited for identity theft and cyberbullying. Concerns include the use of personal data to train AI models, the creation of fraudulent deepfake content, and information warfare campaigns by nations.
Blockchain is seen as a potential solution to address these privacy concerns in AI. It can play a crucial role in enhancing trust and privacy in AI, challenging tech monopolies in the process.
Growing Intersection of Blockchain and AI
The report also highlights the growing intersection of blockchain and AI, with an increase in research publications, patents, and GitHub activity in this field over the past five years. More than 5,600 research publications focused on blockchain and AI during this period, indicating rapid growth.
Developer engagement in this emerging field has also been on the rise, as seen in the increasing number of new GitHub repositories and pull requests.
Rising Value of AI-Related Tokens
AI-related tokens have experienced significant growth, reflecting increased interest and confidence in on-chain AI. By the end of 2023, the market capitalization of the top 15 AI-related tokens had reached $12 billion, marking a 443% increase in 2023, surpassing the 108% growth of the total cryptocurrency market.
AI’s Impact on Web3
Blockchain can provide reliable data sources for AI, enhancing trust and privacy without intermediaries. In return, AI has the potential to transform decentralized networks and applications, driving the adoption of Web3 technologies.
Three primary applications of AI to enhance the core Web3 infrastructure include:
- Intelligent Smart Contracts
- Intelligent Protocols
- AI-based Web3 security solutions
In decentralized finance (DeFi), AI algorithms can detect fraudulent behavior and assess borrower risk profiles. AI-powered trading bots and predictive analytics can optimize trading decisions, while AI-enabled portfolio management can enhance asset allocation.
AI-driven payment infrastructure allows AI agents to execute payments based on predefined rules and strategies. This intersection of blockchain and AI holds significant promise for the future of Web3 technologies.