a16z partner: Blockchain will return AI-driven Internet to users

Author: Chris Dixon, a16z partner and head of a16z crypto; Translator: 0xjs@黄金财经

The doomsayers are wrong. AI won’t end the world — but it will end the internet as we know it.  

AI has already overturned the core economic contract of the internet, which has existed since the advent of search: a few companies (mostly Google) bring the demand, while creators bring the supply (and get some advertising revenue or recognition from it). AI tools have already generated and summarized content without users having to click through to the content provider’s website, thus breaking the balance.

At the same time, a large number of AI-driven deep fakes and robots will make us question what is real and reduce people’s trust in the online world. As large technology companies that can afford the most data and computing power continue to invest in AI, they will become more powerful, further closing off the remaining parts of the open internet.

The advancement of technology is inevitable. My call for attention to this is not to shout that the sky is falling or to hinder progress. We need to help individual users gain some control over their digital lives. Thoughtful government regulation can help, but it also risks slowing innovation. And trying to adopt a one-size-fits-all solution could create as many problems as it solves. Let’s face it, users aren’t going to give up their online lives. So what can we do? Major technology movements tend to move in tandem — think of the rise of social, cloud, and mobile computing in the 21st century. This time is no different: AI needs blockchain-powered computing. Why? First, blockchains can enforce ownership. Blockchains can make trusted promises involving property, spending, and power. A decentralized network of computers (not a big company or any other centralized intermediary) verifies transactions, ensuring that rules and records cannot be changed without consensus. Smart contracts automate and enforce these ownership rights, creating a system that ensures transparency, security, and trust, giving users full control and ownership of their digital lives. For creators, this means being able to decide how others, including AI systems, use their work.

Another fundamental property that blockchain can enforce is identity. If you are who you claim to be, you can sign a cryptographic statement to prove it. We can carry our own identities on the internet without relying on a third party. On-chain identities can also help distinguish real users from bots and imposters. In the 90s, no one on the internet knew you were a dog. Now, people can tell if you are a dog or a bot. In the coming years, thanks to recent technological advances, we will see more “proof of humanness” on the internet.

Blockchain can also create a tamper-proof record of digital content to prevent deepfakes. When a video, photo, or audio recording is created, the blockchain can store a unique digital fingerprint. Any changes to the content will change that signature, making it easy to detect tampering. Blockchain can also store metadata and verify proofs from trusted sources, further ensuring the authenticity of the content.

Finally, blockchain can help realize the original ideals of the internet, helping it remain creative, open, and diverse. Currently, users rely on a handful of internet giants—who have invested heavily in AI (and demanded regulations to keep smaller competitors out). Once-open websites and apps have added paywalls, restricted or shut down APIs, removed archives, edited past content without permission, and added intrusive banners and ads. Blockchain alternatives offer options for more choice, open source innovation, and community control. They will hold high the torch of an open internet. Cryptocurrencies can take power away from big tech companies and put it back in the hands of users.