Before launching the AI-Curious podcast, I spent a bunch of years writing about bitcoin, blockchain, crypto, and web3, often for CoinDesk, the space’s main publication. I still write about it. So I’m in a relatively unique position to see the intersection of these two techs. Is there a connection? Can crypto really help develop better AI? There’s now an explosion of interest in “Decentralized AI,” which — in theory — could help minimize risks from Big Tech, reduce bias, fight censorship, solve the problem of deepfakes and even make AI more inclusive.

And this episode is sneaky-timely. There are over 15,000 people converging in Austin, Texas, for the annual “Consensus” conference — presented by CoinDesk — which focuses on the wider world of crypto. There’s now an “AI Summit” at this conference… and I’m hosting the AI Summit. So this episode is very much a conversation, in a sense, of the themes discussed at Consensus.

(And if you found this podcast from Consensus itself, welcome! This is an excellent intro episode for you.)

Consensus 2024:
https://consensus2024.coindesk.com

Piece I wrote last year:

“10 Ways Crypto and AI Can Make Each Other Better (or Maybe Worse)”

https://www.coindesk.com/consensus-magazine/2023/06/12/10-ways-crypto-and-ai-can-make-each-other-better-or-maybe-worse/