2024: From Duct Tape to Infrastructure 

In just eight months since its inception, the Infrastructure Committee has become the most prominent open grant mechanism in the NEAR ecosystem in response to “infra not infra-ing.” 

The current infrastructure committee is composed of technical leaders from around the NEAR ecosystem: Bowen Wang, head of NEAR One; Alex Shevchenko, founder of Aurora; Eric Winer, CTO of Pagoda; Vlad Frolov of NEAR DevHub; Evgeny Kuzyakov of FastNEAR—with admin support from the NEAR Foundation and DevHub contributors.

The committee’s impact has been substantial, supporting critical infrastructure that powers the entire ecosystem. The Infrastructure Committee approved 24 proposals, out of 99 submissions, in 2024.

Some notable 2024 highlights include:

• Enhanced Wallet Infrastructure: Supported most major native wallets (NEAR Mobile Wallet, HERE Wallet, Nightly Wallet, Meteor Wallet, MyNEARWallet transition to Meteor), enabling innovations like HERE Wallet’s HOT wallet (which became one of Web3’s most-used dApps), Meteor Wallet’s successful launch of Harvest Moon, and the Nightly Social Login
• Decentralized RPC Services: Successfully transitioned RPC services to decentralized providers (Lava), improving network reliability and performance, and onboarding additional providers like FastNEAR and BlockPi, significantly enhancing RPC node response times and uptime
• Multiple Analytics Vendors: Funded NEARBlocks, the primary explorer on NEAR, and onboarded multiple analytics providers, including Token Terminal, Chainspect, and Intear, strengthening core infrastructure tools and analytics capabilities
• Pagoda Sunset: Supported the transition of critical services to sustainable, community-driven alternatives with the wind-down of Pagoda services
• Innovative Endeavors: Funded DevHub’s self-service treasury app and an exciting partnership with Mercuryo for a NEAR-branded Mastercard
• Create On-Chain Funding Process: Established an on-chain process for RFPs and proposals through DevHub’s portal product

Looking Ahead: 2025 Priorities

Based on extensive builder feedback and ecosystem needs, the Infrastructure Committee’s focus in 2025 includes:

• Continuous Improvement: Continuing to support infra and ongoing commitments from the previous year, including but not limited to the wallets mentioned above, Fast NEAR, and NEARBlocks 
• Working Groups: Setting up working groups to manage accounts, respond to proposals actively, find innovation, and draft RFPs so that ecosystem development can become more proactive instead of reactive. Expect RFPs to be posted regularly throughout the year. 
• Wallet Improvements: NEAR single sign-on from NEAR wallet to Solana app, on-ramps, and off-ramps
• Chain Abstraction Infrastructure: Supporting the development of tools and services to make NEAR more accessible and interoperable with other blockchain ecosystems (multichain explorer, oracles, Omnitoken, Omnibalance support)
• Decentralized AI Infrastructure: Investing in foundational infrastructure to support NEAR’s growing role in decentralized AI applications from across the ecosystem

Get Involved

Do you have an idea or see a gap that needs addressing? The Infrastructure Committee welcomes participation from the entire NEAR ecosystem through the NEAR Infrastructure Committee Portal. Ecosystem members are welcome to help create strategic RFPs and vet proposals in the following ways: 

• Builders: Share your infrastructure needs and pain points
• Infrastructure Providers: Submit proposals for innovative solutions
• Community Members: Provide feedback on current infrastructure and future needs

Thanks to everyone who contributed to critical NEAR infrastructure in 2024 and the IC looks forward to even more great work in 2025.

The post NEAR Infrastructure Committee: First Year Recap & 2025 Priorities appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

Infinex, founded by Synthetix creator Kain Warwick, aims to abstract away UX challenges and complexities at the core of DeFi. Whereas it was once impossible to enable DeFi compatibility for non-smart contract assets and to custody them securely on-chain, Infinex is making DeFi more seamless. Without integrating every chain, DeFi experiences remain fragmented.  

NEAR Chain Signatures enable users to sign transactions on third-party blockchains from a single account. By integrating with NEAR Chain Signatures, Infinex users can control and interact with non-smart contract chains like Bitcoin and Ripple from their existing accounts. In the coming months, users can trade these assets natively on the platform via NEAR Intents.

“Infinex is a monolithic platform that will accelerate the extinction of centralized exchanges,” said Warwick. “To do this, we’re thrilled to partner with NEAR to connect legacy chains like Litecoin and XRP to DeFi.” Infinex CTO Jed Watson added, “This is a major unlock for us. Our smart contract architecture is key to how we combine groundbreaking UX with on-chain transparency and funds recovery. With NEAR, we can bring the same functionality to chains like Bitcoin, offering users genuine self-custody of native assets without compromise.”

NEAR Foundation is proud to be the primary Chain Abstraction partner for Infinex and help support their mission to improve DeFi usability and accessibility. “I am excited to see Infinex tackle the important work of onboarding users into self-custody with a strong focus on user experience,” said Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol. “NEAR has been pushing this vision of chain abstraction and ease of use since the start in 2018, so it’s great to partner with a prolific builder like Kain and the team at Infinex to make this vision a reality for the next generation of users.”

Follow NEAR Protocol on X to stay up to date on the latest with Chain Signatures, Intents, and the future of DeFi on NEAR.

The post Infinex Integrates NEAR Protocol Chain Signatures and NEAR Intents appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

NEAR will now have direct exposure to the Ethereum community, further reducing the friction of users having to create NEAR wallets before interacting with NEAR/multichain apps. All Ethereum users—and this is particularly relevant to DeFi users—now have access to the benefits of Chain Signatures and Chain Abstraction apps, with no new wallets or assets needed. Developers and teams can directly embed the Ethereum wallet selector in their apps, allowing users to sign in using MetaMask or the ETH wallet of their choice.

NEAR co-founder and CEO Illia Polosukhin comments: “Enabling all Ethereum wallets, including MetaMask, to sign in on NEAR apps closes another gap in achieving Chain Abstraction. ETH users are now able to explore experiences on NEAR and other chains without needing to switch wallets. This is a big step forward for simpler onboarding and defragmenting liquidity and access for DeFi users, bringing all of Web3 closer to achieving the Chain Abstraction vision.”

Aurora Labs is the project behind Aurora, a network of Virtual Chains that combines NEAR’s scalability with powerful infrastructure for the easy deployment of preconfigured blockchains.

“By integrating Ethereum wallets into NEAR’s ecosystem,” said Aurora Labs’ CEO Alex Shevchenko, “we streamline access and enhance the developer experience. Developers can now build apps that seamlessly serve both NEAR and Ethereum users, simplifying onboarding and expanding liquidity channels. This is a crucial step toward a unified Web3 where users and capital move freely across ecosystems.”

A short list of NEAR partners implementing the Ethereum wallet integration includes:

• Thunderhood
• Burrow.finance
• Linear Finance
• Munzen
• Bitte Wallet
• Paras
• Ref Finance
• Sender
• Meteor Wallet

Head to welcome-to-near.org to sign in with your preferred Ethereum wallet and explore apps and experiences in the Chain Abstraction ecosystem. That includes unlocking the whole universe of Chain Abstracted DeFi experiences from your existing wallet: engage with NEAR DeFi apps like Ref and Burrow and participate in their incentivized pools.

The post All Ethereum Wallets, Including MetaMask, Now Usable on NEAR Mainnet appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

The selected teams will benefit from a comprehensive support package, including technical guidance, funding opportunities, and access to NEAR and Delphi’s expert networks. Each team will also receive $50,000 in compute credits from Aethir, the accelerator program’s premier compute partner. These credits will ensure that every team has the necessary computational resources to develop and deploy resource-intensive AI models—and focus on building without being constrained by infrastructure limitations.

Beginning October 15 and running through early December, NEAR Foundation and Delphi Labs have selected the following cohort teams:

• Hyperspace: Hyperspace is building a decentralized, peer-to-peer AI network. Their mission is to create a unified platform for AI interactions through a “generative browser” serving as a unified interface for AI-powered web interactions.
  • Selection notes: Hyperspace has demonstrated traction with over 7,000 unique nodes in their P2P network and a robust product suite, most recently launching Play, a generative browser agent.
• Almanak: Almanak is an end-to-end platform to build, test, train, optimize, and deploy agents for DeFi. Their mission is to democratize access to sophisticated financial strategies through the use of AI agents.
  • Selection notes: Almanak’s team has spent the last two years building a platform that uses agent-based simulations to optimize on-chain strategies. Their agents are already managing sizable AUM for institutional partners, demonstrating strong traction and expertise in their domain.
• Questflow: Building a next-generation AI agent economy, Questflow is developing a decentralized network that orchestrates multi-agent AI automation. Users can dispatch incentives to both AI and human workers, creating a collaborative environment for autonomous and human-assisted processes.
  • Selection notes: Questflow aims to dominate the AI agentic workflow market, particularly in SEO. Their gamified reward system and strong focus on winning specific verticals make them a standout candidate for advancing AI automation workflows.
• Q Star Labs: Q Star Labs is developing a decentralized generative AI protocol for creating interactive, autonomous AI influencers at scale. Their Reinforcement Learning-based algorithm, Q STAR, is designed for long-term strategic planning to optimize AI content generation and engagement.
  • Selection notes: The Q Star Labs team has a unique blend of expertise in AI, crypto, and finance, launching AI influencers that have organically grown to over 27,000 followers.
• ZettaBlock: ZettaBlock is laying the groundwork for open and trustless AI development through a decentralized platform that provides developers with the infrastructure needed to unify on-chain and off-chain data. By offering modular, adaptable data solutions, ZettaBlock empowers the AI economy with the tools needed to integrate both historical and real-time data from multiple sources.
  • Selection notes: ZettaBlock’s leadership in both AI and data infrastructure makes them a pivotal player in the future of decentralized AI. They’re already supporting major protocols like EigenLayer and Chainlink. Their vision for a unified AI data platform aligns perfectly with NEAR Foundation and Delphi’s mission to foster open and scalable AI infrastructure that developers can rely on.
• Magic: Magic is redefining how private data is used in AI. Their decentralized platform allows companies and developers to train AI models using private data, all while preserving the integrity and privacy of the underlying information. This is achieved through an innovative stack of privacy protocols and decentralized coordination.
  • Selection notes: Magic is tackling one of the toughest challenges in AI—privacy-preserving data access. Their team, with deep roots at Stanford AI Lab, has developed unique methods to keep data secure while enabling AI innovation at scale. Their ability to unlock private data for developers, without compromising security, makes Magic an essential piece of the decentralized AI puzzle.
• dFusion: dFusion is building a platform to solve one of AI’s biggest hurdles: reliable data quality. They’re focused on creating a consensus-driven framework that curates and validates high-quality data, ensuring that AI models are trained on information that is accurate, corroborated, and trustworthy.
  • Selection notes: dFusion’s commitment to consensus-based knowledge curation sets them apart from other players in the data space. By focusing on data integrity and consensus, they’re creating a unique foundation for AI development—one that ensures reliability and transparency. Their work opens up new opportunities for building AI applications that need trustworthy data, which is critical as decentralized AI continues to evolve.
• Peri Labs: Peri Labs is building an open marketplace leveraging underutilized computational resources across billions of consumer devices to power optimized AI models. The Peri Protocol abstracts the complexity of diverse hardware ecosystems, enabling seamless AI model deployment at scale.
  • Selection notes: Peri Labs differentiates itself with a focus on edge compute, uniquely integrating idle resources from consumer-grade devices to run AI models effectively. Their emphasis on model compression, optimization, and decentralized inference positions them as pioneers in making edge AI truly scalable, providing an efficient, privacy-preserving alternative to centralized cloud solutions.

In addition to the resources above, the NEAR x Delphi AI Accelerator Program includes some more unique opportunities for participants:

• Industry-leading speakers: Participants will hear from founders, investors, and experts from AI and Web3, providing insights into current trends and future opportunities. 

• IRL Founder Retreat: An in-person retreat week in New York City for networking, collaboration, and team-building.
• Closing Demo Day: The program will conclude with a Demo Day in early December, showcasing participating teams to our extensive investor network.

NEAR is a leading blockchain platform designed to accelerate the development of decentralized applications with a focus on usability and scalability. Delphi Labs is a research and development firm that specializes in Web3 and DeFi. 

NEAR and Delphi Labs share the common strategic vision of a user-owned AI ecosystem, built on Web3 rails, that provides genuinely better alternatives to developers and users than the prevailing model of centralized AI controlled by big tech companies and governments. The goal is to maximize the benefits of AI for people and communities—and minimize the potential risks—by putting the power of AI where it belongs: in the hands of users. 

The NEAR ecosystem is quickly becoming the go-to home for decentralized, User-Owned AI, and this new AI Accelerator Program with Delphi Labs is a critical step toward integrating projects with significant potential into that ecosystem, setting the stage for the next generation of AI-powered decentralized apps.

NEAR’s first AI x Web3 incubator cohort, which ran from June to August 2024, saw participants achieve significant early milestones while contributing essential pieces to the growing User-Owned AI stack. These milestones include: Hyperbolic hosting the latest open source AI models, including Llama 3.1 405B; Mizu launching their beta platform and attracting 20K users in the first week; and Pond launching their first GNN model for wallet predictions and achieving a 20% prediction rate. The teams have built on the momentum from the incubator to attract serious seed funding interest, collectively raising $26M, with Hyperbolic successfully closing a $7M round.

Stay tuned for details on the cohort’s Demo Day, which will take place on December 14. Teams with a strong vision for decentralized AI applications and infrastructure are encouraged to apply for the next accelerator program cohort to take place early next year.

The post NEAR Foundation and Delphi Labs Partner to Launch New AI Accelerator appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

Don’t forget to visit us near the Main Stage during Token2049 at Booth #P28 + P29. Our team, along with partners SWEAT, Proximity Labs, and Aurora, will be on hand to answer questions and engage with the community.

Showcasing the Synergy: AI and Chain Abstraction in Action

The intersection of AI and blockchain is no longer a distant future—it’s happening now, and NEAR is at the forefront. Our packed Token2049 week kicks off with the HELLO [AI] First Token Party on September 16th, where we’ll be exploring the next frontier of AI-Powered Blockchain Applications. Expect mind-bending discussions on topics like AI-driven smart contracts, decentralized machine learning marketplaces, and the tokenization of AI models.

Following this, we dive deep into the technical challenges and opportunities at The Scaling AI Summit (September 16-17). Here, NEAR’s co-founder, Alex Skidanov, will deliver a keynote focusing on the fundamental building blocks of user-owned AI, a concept at the forefront of NEAR’s vision. He’ll explore how this approach is reshaping the landscape of artificial intelligence and empowering users in unprecedented ways.But NEAR’s involvement goes far beyond a single keynote. Throughout the summit, we’re showcasing how our innovative approach to chain abstraction is revolutionizing the integration of AI models across diverse blockchain architectures. From optimizing cross-chain AI computations to enabling seamless data sharing for federated learning, NEAR is paving the way for a new era of scalable, interoperable AI-blockchain solutions.

NEAR is Booked & Busy

September 17th stands out as a day packed with groundbreaking events:

1. Open #AI House: We’re not just talking about AI; we’re democratizing it. NEAR joins a panel on “Let’s Democratize AI” featuring industry leaders discussing how NEAR’s open-source ethos is reshaping the AI landscape.

2. NEAR AI Tech Showcase: Get ready for a deep dive into our latest AI innovations. We’ll demonstrate how our chain abstraction techniques are enabling more efficient training and deployment of AI models on-chain.

3. Modular & L2 Day | TOKEN2049 Singapore: Vikas Pandey from NEAR Foundation will be shedding light on how our modular approach is revolutionizing blockchain customization and optionality.

4. Chain Abstraction X DeFi Brunch: Join us for a delicious brunch and discover how NEARy is simplifying DeFi interactions, making it easier than ever to hold many assets from different chains on one wallet.

5. From September 17-19, NEAR Singapore is hosting a 3-day SkyPool Lounge & Party during TOKEN2049 Singapore. This isn’t just a networking event; it’s a technical showcase. Expect in-depth discussions on the ecosystem, live coding sessions, and interactive demos that highlight the practical applications of our chain abstraction and AI technologies.

Spotlight on Speaking Engagements

NEAR’s visionaries are set to captivate audiences across multiple high-profile events this September. At Token2049, don’t miss Alex Skidanov’s compelling panel discussion on “Decentralized AI: The Power of Permissionless Intelligence,” where he’ll explore how blockchain technology is democratizing AI development and deployment. Alex will also deliver a solo presentation titled “Building Web3 Apps of the Future with User-Owned AI,” diving deep into the technical intricacies of integrating AI with decentralized systems and showcasing how NEAR’s infrastructure is paving the way for a new generation of intelligent, user-centric applications. 

Meanwhile, at Connect 2049, Mark Mi will take the stage to discuss “The Future of Open Source AI,” illuminating how NEAR’s commitment to open-source principles is fostering a more accessible, innovative, and collaborative AI ecosystem. 

The intellectual feast continues at The Scaling AI Summit, where cutting-edge technical demonstrations from Ringfence AI and Bitte will augment Alex Skidanov’s keynote. These demos will bring theory into practice, offering attendees a tangible glimpse of how NEAR’s technologies are being applied to solve real-world challenges at the intersection of AI and blockchain. From decentralized machine learning to blockchain-powered AI marketplaces, these presentations and demos will showcase the full spectrum of NEAR’s pioneering work in the rapidly evolving landscape of decentralized AI.

Shaping the Future of Web3 and AI

As we navigate through this action-packed Token2049 Week in Singapore, one thing becomes clear: NEAR is not just participating in the conversation about chain abstraction and AI—we’re leading it. Our technical innovations are setting new standards for interoperability, scalability, and user-owned intelligence.

We invite you to join us at these events, either in person or through our live streams. Stay tuned to our official channels for real-time updates, technical deep-dives, and opportunities to engage with our team of experts.

The future of Web3 and AI is being written now, and NEAR is holding the pen.

The post At the Intersection of AI x Web3 appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

Spinouts of NEAR ecosystem initiatives allow teams to focus on their core competencies and move quickly and autonomously with clear and aligned incentives. Importantly, an open and decentralized ecosystem encourages transparency and gives everyone a fair chance to seek funding and support for their contributions. A decentralized ecosystem is also more antifragile and sustainable due to an ever-increasing number of collaborating and competing projects. 

Near One

The Pagoda team developing the core NEAR blockchain protocol is now Near One, a team of 30 employees led by Bowen Wang, Head of Protocol. Near One’s mandate is to develop and maintain the NEAR Protocol and roadmap, providing high-performance and scalable infrastructure to support the wide range of activities in the NEAR ecosystem, including consumer apps, Chain Abstraction, modularity, DeFi, and User-Owned AI. Working independently will allow Near One to operate with greater speed and autonomy, and also makes room for multiple node/protocol teams to build on NEAR without relying on an “official” one. Near One will share exciting news about the next phase of sharding later this month. 

Chain Abstraction Spinout

Following the successful launch of Chain Signatures mainnet, an independent team with key contributors from Pagoda and other nodes will focus on developing the technology and partnerships needed to make the Chain Abstraction vision a reality. This new team will continue the NEAR ecosystem’s leadership in advancing Chain Abstraction for all of Web3. More information and a name for this project are forthcoming in September, so stay tuned.

Future of Pagoda and Pagoda Services

Given that these two spinouts represent a large percentage of Pagoda’s current staff and responsibilities, the NEAR Foundation Council decided to change the model for funding the other ecosystem services Pagoda has been operating. These will now be distributed via the Infrastructure Committee to a decentralized set of providers over the next six months. For updates on Pagoda’s transition timeline and process, please consult this Future of Pagoda Services page.

These transitions mean that Pagoda will be winding down, with some Pagoda employees joining other ecosystem nodes including the NEAR Foundation, NEAR.AI, and DevHub teams. Remaining team members will be offered support to found new ecosystem projects, join other ecosystem teams, or bid as independent providers to take over existing work via an RFP process run by the Infrastructure Committee. People with strong knowledge of NEAR technologies are always encouraged to start new projects and seek funding support: this is the most transparent, fair, and sustainable approach for growing the ecosystem as it approaches 4 years since mainnet launch. 

NEAR ecosystem teams interested in hiring Pagoda team members are encouraged to share openings on the Jobs Board and to consult this opt-in list of people open to new roles. There will also be a hacker house-style Pagoda offsite in Tarrytown, New York in early September, now open to ecosystem contributors interested in connecting with team members and brainstorming independent projects (apply to attend here). 

Looking Ahead

In addition to the launch of Chain Signatures mainnet last week and the upcoming mainnet launch of Nightshade 2.0, the NEAR ecosystem has seen major recent success across a range of key metrics. Last month, in July 2024, the NEAR ecosystem had more than 20 million monthly active users across apps and projects––the highest on any L1 chain, with over 110 million accounts overall. NEAR also reached over 3 million daily active users, the highest of any chain, averaging between six and seven million transactions per day, and has the highest 12-month user retention among L1 blockchains. 

A more decentralized and autonomous ecosystem of independent projects will be better equipped to expand on this impressive growth and bring NEAR’s vision and best-in-class technology to a billion users. Those interested in keeping up with the latest news and launches on NEAR should follow along on X, attend monthly ecosystem Town Halls, watch NEAR AI Office Hours, and attend the [REDACTED] conference and hackathon in Bangkok, Nov. 9-11.

The post Ecosystem Update: Announcing Near One, Chain Abstraction Spinouts  appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

You may recall that [REDACTED] is a global convergence to shape the future of User-Owned AI and Chain Abstraction—a future where technology belongs to the people, not corporations. 

It’s an IRL movement gathering November 9-11 in Bangkok. It’s a worldwide hackathon kicking off September 5. It’s a defining moment to unify the collective working on these technologies to reclaim our sovereignty.

Are you in?

The IRL movement: speakers announced, apply to attend

[REDACTED] is a whole IRL movement: 1,500+ devs, builders, founders, funders, researchers, regulators, and more gathering in person, November 9-11, at the Avani+ Riverside Hotel Bangkok.

Some things can only happen IRL, and some are just way better. Like:

• Gaining insights from the teams defining the intersection of AI and Web3
• Upskilling and learning how to develop AI x Web3 products and apps
• Forming deep connections to build the user-owned future together

[REDACTED] will feature a wide range of curated sessions, workshops, and discussions led by the people driving AI x Web3 and Chain Abstraction. We can finally share that this includes:

• Illia Polosukhin (NEAR)
• Curtis Spencer (Electric Capital)
• Anand Iyer (Canonical)
• Maartje Bus (Messari)
• Matt Stephenson (Pantera)
• Calanthia Mei (Masa)
• Evrard-Nil Daillet (Google)

And more to come as we get closer to Bangkok.

Tickets to the [REDACTED] IRL movement are totally free—you just have to apply to attend, either as a participant or as a hacker (about which, see below). Visa letters are available to support visa applications.

For the absolute latest on the movement, join the official [REDACTED] Telegram channel.

[REDACTED] Hackathon Registration Is Live

Registration for the [REDACTED] hackathon is OPEN.

The [REDACTED] hackathon sets top problem-solvers to collaborating on the biggest issues in AI x Web3 and Chain Abstraction. Kicking off September 5, it’s eight weeks remote so teams can go deep, and it culminates at the IRL movement in Bangkok, November 9-11. 

Hackers accepted into the hackathon can expect workshops and tutorials on industry-leading tools, interactive discussion and support from category/ecosystem experts, and, oh yeah, a chance at over $500k+ in bounties and prizes.

There will also be travel scholarships so qualifying hackers can be IRL in Bangkok for the awards ceremony—and to participate in the IRL movement.

Get Involved with [REDACTED]

There are a lot of ways [for partners?] to get involved with [REDACTED], from digital marketing exposure and exclusive access to side events to major visibility at the IRL movement. Find what’s right for you.

The post [REDACTED] Speakers Announced, Hackathon Registration Is Live appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

The week kicked off with NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin delivering a keynote at the Open Source AI Summit titled “Why the World Needs User-Owned AI.” Illia presented the case for investing in open-source, User-Owned AI, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in proactively managing risk, improving user safety, and formally verifying code. He stressed that all data used in training AI models must be open-source to ensure transparency, unpack potential biases, and debug issues effectively.

Later in the week, Illia delivered a keynote presentation on the NEAR AI Hub and AI Developer concept. His talk sparked considerable interest, particularly regarding the transformative potential of Developer AI. The audience was captivated by the vision of a system where individuals, regardless of their technical expertise or financial resources, could transform their ideas into fully-fledged, decentralized, and scalable applications simply by interacting with an AI-driven development platform. This lower barrier to entry for app creation promises to accelerate innovation across the blockchain ecosystem and even in Web2.

NEAR’s presence at EthCC extended beyond AI discussions. Altan Tutar, CEO of Nuffle Labs, showcased Nuffle’s pioneering work on data availability, demonstrating how NEAR technology is scaling Ethereum L2s. This presentation highlighted NEAR Protocol’s versatility beyond its L1 capabilities and its potential to defragment Web3.

Alex Shevchenko from Aurora Labs introduced Forwarder, a personal bridge designed for seamless token transfers between centralized exchanges and various chains, addressing the rapid growth of new blockchains in the ecosystem.

A significant highlight of NEAR’s participation was the Chain Abstraction Day Brussels on July 10th. Co-hosted with Agoric Systems, this event marked the culmination of NEAR’s year-long series on interoperability and the future of multi-chain apps and transactions. The day-long program covered different methodologies to achieve chain abstraction to intents, data availability, and infrastructure, including a talk from Illia on what’s next in the NEAR ecosystem’s contributions to Chain Abstraction. A special fireside chat between Agoric’s Dean Tribble and Illia delved into architecting next-gen Web3 apps.

The NEAR AI Tech Showcase on July 11th further demonstrated NEAR’s commitment to innovation. The event featured live demonstrations of AI-powered blockchain applications, giving attendees hands-on experience with the latest developments from the NEAR ecosystem. Underpinning these developments was the NEAR Horizon AI Incubation Program, a strategic initiative designed to kickstart NEAR’s AI ecosystem by collaborating with top-tier Web3 x AI projects.

NEAR’s presence at EthCC 2024 offered the rest of the Web3 ecosystem a tangible vision of a User-Owned AI future with real technologies already taking shape. By championing the transfer of power and ownership to users, NEAR aims to unlock a myriad of benefits: enhanced productivity, improved search results, personalized experiences, and novel economic opportunities, all while maintaining a steadfast commitment to privacy and security. The ecosystem’s overarching goal remained clear: to onboard 1 billion users to a new open internet. NEAR’s unique position at the intersection of blockchain and AI showcased its readiness to address the growing demand for decentralized artificial intelligence, leveraging Web3’s inherent strengths to forge a truly user-owned digital landscape. As the event concluded, it was evident that EthCC 2024 marked a defining moment for NEAR Protocol, highlighting its visionary approach, technological prowess, and unwavering commitment to a decentralized, user-centric future.

Interested in learning more about User-Owned AI and the teams building the ecosystem? Check out the NEAR AI Office Hours series.

The post EthCC 2024: User-Owned AI Takes Center Stage appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

The week-long extravaganza kicks off on July 6th with the Open Source AI Summit. Here, NEAR is positioning itself as the home for User-Owned AI. Championing a User-Owned AI future means building a New Internet that democratizes AI development and access, ensuring users, not centralized companies, control AI. By championing this concept, NEAR is set to ignite discussions on how blockchain can revolutionize the AI landscape, putting power back into the hands of individuals and fostering a new era of technological autonomy.

Building on the momentum of the Open Source AI Summit, the spotlight shifts on July 7th to the next-generation modular infrastructure for all layers at Contextualised Connect Brussels by YAP Global. Altan Tutar, CEO of Nuffle Labs, will take center stage before a room packed with media representatives, showcasing Nuffle’s pioneering work on data availability. By leveraging NEAR technology to scale Ethereum L2s, Nuffle demonstrates NEAR Protocol’s versatility beyond its L1 capabilities, blurring ecosystem boundaries and fostering collaboration with tier-1 projects like EigenLayer. This strategic expansion and technological validation position NEAR as a crucial player in the broader blockchain landscape, attracting more developers, users, and collaborations with major projects, thereby extending NEAR’s relevance and utility in the evolving decentralized technology space.

Without missing a beat, on July 9th, EthCC’s main event showcases two game-changing presentations. Illia Polosukhin, CEO of NEAR Foundation, will dive into “Build Your Next Web3 App with AI,” offering a practical roadmap for integrating AI into blockchain development. Following this, Alex Shevchenko, CEO of Aurora Labs, will address “Simplifying Access Across Blockchain and Exchanges,” highlighting NEAR’s innovative approach to interoperability. These talks will demonstrate NEAR’s commitment to advancing AI integration and cross-chain accessibility, positioning the ecosystem at the forefront of Web3 innovation.

Chain Abstraction Day Brussels on July 10th marks the culmination of NEAR’s year-long series, solidifying its place as a cornerstone event at EthCC. Co-hosted with Agoric Systems, this gathering positions Chain Abstraction at the forefront of discussions on interoperability and the future of multi-chain environments. Expect deep dives into the technical aspects of defragmenting and unifying Web3, including infrastructure, data availability, and the role of venture capital. Get hands-on with the latest tools, learn from cutting-edge research, and see real-world applications in action through developer success stories. Live lightning demos will bring the power of chain abstraction to life. This event offers invaluable insights and practical knowledge for everyone, from seasoned blockchain developers to Web3 newcomers, helping you streamline and scale your projects.

Capping off the week, Illia Polosukhin delivers a keynote at Agents Unleashed, where he deep dives into the potential of AI-powered blockchain applications. This summit is designed to unite developers and innovators in the Web3 autonomous AI agent space, offering a comprehensive look at the current use case landscape. Following this, NEAR HZN presents the NEAR AI Tech Showcase on July 11th. This event promises to be a testament to NEAR’s innovative spirit, featuring live demonstrations of AI-powered blockchain applications. Attendees will get hands-on experience with the latest developments from the NEAR ecosystem, seeing firsthand how AI is reshaping the blockchain landscape. Underpinning these developments is the NEAR Horizon AI Incubation Program, a strategic initiative designed to kickstart NEAR’s AI ecosystem. By collaborating with top-tier decentralized AI projects, this program aims to co-design crucial infrastructure that will enable sophisticated AI applications on NEAR. Collectively, these events and initiatives demonstrate NEAR’s commitment to advancing user-owned AI, where intelligence tooling optimizes for individual users and communities rather than corporate profit, unlocking benefits like higher productivity, personalized experiences, and novel economic opportunities.

As attendees move between historic venues and modern conference spaces, they’ll witness firsthand how NEAR is pioneering AI x Web3. NEAR’s presence at EthCC 2024 is more than just a series of presentations – it’s a demonstration of a User-Owned AI future. Putting the power and ownership in the hands of the user unlocks benefits such as higher productivity, better search results, more personalized experiences, and novel economic opportunities that are all privacy-first.

The post NEAR at EthCC 2024: Pioneering AI x Web3  appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

NEARCON 2024? Not this year.

Gm to [REDACTED].

[REDACTED] is a global convergence to shape the future of User-Owned AI and Chain Abstraction—a future where technology belongs to the people, not corporations. Imagine stepping into a ‘Sovereign Paradise’ where the air buzzes with inspiration and opportunities to learn about AI and Web3. At [REDACTED], you’re not just attending another tech conference: you are contributing to a pivotal moment in the digital revolution. This IRL movement unifies the AI x Web3 collective as we embark on a transformative future. 

[REDACTED] is November 9-11, in Bangkok, Thailand. Be a part of the learnings and insights shared at [REDACTED] by joining Keynotes, Firesides, Workshops, or Hacking.

[REDACTED] is an IRL movement, and the application to attend is LIVE at redactedbangkok.ai.

AI is transforming the internet and the way we interact with computing. AI and Web3 can work together to ensure the power of intelligence is where it belongs: in the hands of users. NEAR is leading at this intersection of AI x Web3, and the NEAR Foundation is gathering the global AI x Web3 community in Bangkok to share key innovations and insights, form deep connections that can only happen IRL, and build the user-owned future together.

[REDACTED] is free, but attendance is by application only.

Apply now to claim your spot among 1,500+ devs, founders, researchers, regulators, creatives, and leaders. Here’s what to expect as you journey through [REDACTED]

• Upskill your AI knowledge in essential workshops and deep-dive discussions led by the teams defining the intersection of AI x Web3.
• Gain insights on how to develop AI x Web3 products and applications. 
• Connect with collaborators on building the tools, driving adoption, empowering users and communities, and taking back sovereignty.
• Interact with projects from NEAR and other Ecosystems, solving problems with AI x Web3 technical solutions. 

And stay tuned to participate in the [REDACTED] hybrid hackathon for a chance to win over $500k in prizes.

The [REDACTED] hackathon is an opportunity to collaborate over eight weeks—both online and IRL in Bangkok—with top problem-solvers on the biggest issues in Chain Abstraction and AI x Web3, with category experts from NEAR and beyond providing interactive discussion and support.

The future of AI, decentralized ecosystems, and community-driven innovation is taking shape live at [REDACTED]. Apply to attend at redactedbangkok.ai.

The post Shape the User-Owned Future at [REDACTED] in Bangkok appeared first on NEAR Protocol.