As a seasoned researcher with a background in AI and blockchain technologies, attending DKGCon 2024 was both enlightening and eye-opening. The conference brought together some of the brightest minds in the industry to discuss the future of AI, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja vu.
A large number of builders and tech aficionados assembled at DKGCon 2024 from October 24-25 to delve into the crossroads of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and knowledge graphs. The primary emphasis was on understanding how Web3 technologies can enhance AI’s efficiency, security, and dependability by improving its performance.
The event was organized by OriginTrail, a blockchain ecosystem focused on building what it describes as the world’s first decentralized knowledge graph, or DKG, which it says helps to bring trust and reliability to AI.
On the schedule were discussions and presentations focusing on user privacy, autonomy, and AI’s influence across multiple sectors. The speakers ranged from Bob Metcalf, the pioneer of Ethernet, to Gary Marcus, a well-known AI researcher and critic, and Ben Goertzel, CEO of SingularityNET.
There was a particular focus on ecosystem builders, with a dedicated section on day one for people to present the projects they are building using the DKG and a second conference day entirely for builder workshops.
The OriginTrail team shared with CryptoMoon that the conference is an annual event highlighting achievements in the area of decentralized knowledge graphs, supported by the OriginTrail network. This year’s emphasis was on motivating joint neuro-symbolic AI, demonstrating the potency of collaboration between knowledge graphs, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence.
“Trust the source”
Knowledge graphs serve as a network of interconnected data points, enabling the identification and confirmation of relationships between them. These structures are commonly employed by tech giants such as Google and Facebook to fuel their recommendation systems. However, these knowledge graphs often function within isolated environments, with centralized firms retaining control over the data while users do not benefit from its monetization.
Knowledge graphs are gaining popularity in large language models (LLMs) and AI applications due to their ability to address problems like hallucinations and copyright violations. As the OriginTrail team shared with CryptoMoon, when this technology is decentralized, it gives users even more control and power over their information.
“Instead of hallucinations, we can have information provenance; instead of bias, we can have reliability; and instead of IP infringements, we can incentivize data ownership.”
At the conference, the main topic was expressed through the phrase “Trust the Source,” which was printed on the rear sides of T-shirts given to participants as part of their gift bags. This phrase is a reminder of the significant hurdle in obtaining transparency for artificial intelligence solutions, as explained by the event’s organizers.
The goal of the OriginTrail team is to ensure that Artificial Intelligence becomes a dependable, credible, and transparent tool in our daily lives. This is emphasized by our slogan, which underscores the ability of our Decentralized Knowledge Graph to empower users to trust the origin of information when interacting with AI.
In a conference he initiated, Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, shared that Lawyer-like Models (LLMs) and Knowledge Graphs complement each other. They alleviate each other’s shortcomings. By this, he pointed out the issue that Artificial Intelligence often experiences: producing false or biased data. In simpler terms, LLMs and Knowledge Graphs are well-suited to address AI’s problem of hallucinating incorrect information.
Multiple non-blockchain-based entities have discussed how integrating blockchain with the DKG (Distributed Key Generation) has enhanced user trust. In a discussion called “Is AI suitable for business? Overcoming trust and dependability hurdles,” Garrett Pitcher, the founder of the Irish whisky distillery Church of Oak, highlighted that this integration enables consumers to confidently trace the source of the products they buy.
Simultaneously, Seamus Galvin, a senior innovation partner at global standards organization GS1 (known for the barcode), pointed out that it’s the combination of blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and semantic web that results in “trust within supply chains” and “integrity of supply chains.
AI safety and privacy
A recurring topic at the conference was ensuring user security and respect for privacy in artificial intelligence (AI) use cases. Many speakers emphasized the importance of implementing safeguards within AI systems, preventing them from causing harm or exploiting users. This emphasis is particularly relevant given a tragic incident where an AI chatbot appears to have encouraged a teenager to take his own life.
There’s also worry about what centralized AI corporations, specifically OpenAI, might be using the massive user data they amass. In fact, OpenAI has faced scrutiny and was questioned extensively by AI critic Marcus in 2023. At DKGCon 2024, during a casual discussion, Marcus suggested that due to its financial instability, OpenAI may have no other option than to transform into a surveillance company.
“I think OpenAI is going to be forced to become a surveillance company. I think it’s going to become the most Orwellian name ever. […] I think the only thing they can do is surveillance, and I think there are a lot of signs they are moving towards that.”
Edward Snowden, an American whistleblower and privacy advocate, echoed this sentiment following the appointment of former National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone to OpenAi’s board in June 2024. He cautioned on X platform that OpenAi had become completely open with its intentions, stating “Be wary of @OpenAI or any products it offers like ChatGPT.
Similarly, Chris Rynning, a partner at AMYP Ventures who oversees the Porsche family’s wealth, expressed his initial hesitancy towards investing in AI startups during a discussion titled “Catalyzing the future: Impact of AI on the startup ecosystem,” as he had worries about financing technologies that could potentially bring about humanity’s demise.
Building AI tools that won’t exploit us
At the conference, different speakers advocated for the Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) as a secure, private response to these issues and an option against what some view as Big Tech’s excessive data collection and careless strategy in advancing AI. The OriginTrail team shared with CryptoMoon their belief that integrating AI with Web3 and knowledge graphs presents the most promising path for humanity to harness AI’s complete potential in a safe manner.
Branimir Rakić, OriginTrail’s co-founder and CTO, shared with the crowd that they are moving “in an entirely new direction,” referring to their Edge Node app. This innovative application enables users to engage with artificial intelligence services while ensuring their data remains private on their own device.
Later on, Rakić teamed up with OriginTrail’s other founders during the concluding part of the event, advocating for the need of a decentralized alternative in the mainstream AI industry. He emphasized that the current situation, often referred to as “surveillance capitalism,” is the norm. In his view, it’s not just about who can gather more data and hardware to process it, but also about the potential misuse of this data once collected. The models trained from such data may perform well, but their ultimate purpose could raise questions.
He went on to describe OriginTrail’s philosophy as “a counter to that,” adding:
“We really need to go back to this power-to-the-people approach if we’re ever going to take on this hugely powerful technology.”
At the event, everyone who spoke with CryptoMoon appeared to concur that the decentralization of AI control, achieved through the integration of knowledge graphs and blockchain, is not just advantageous but essential for establishing a significant challenge to Big Tech’s methods. With the risks at such a critical level, as they could potentially lead to human extinction, the age of AI might represent Web3’s most significant and crucial chance to revolutionize the existing order.
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Disclaimer: OriginTrail paid Jonathan DeYoung’s travel expenses to attend DKGcon 2024.
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2024-10-30 17:11