Blockchain's Role in Enhancing AI Systems and Trust

The a16z crypto team has highlighted the potential of blockchain technology in addressing trust challenges posed by the scaling of AI systems. According to PANews, the internet currently lacks a native method to distinguish between humans and machines, which threatens the trust framework. Blockchain offers a solution through several key roles. Firstly, it increases the cost of AI impersonation by using decentralized human authentication systems like World ID, which limits the scale of fake identity creation and raises attack costs. Secondly, blockchain enables decentralized identity verification, granting users control over their identities and avoiding single points of failure in centralized systems, while also enhancing privacy and censorship resistance. Additionally, blockchain can create a universal 'passport' that allows AI agents to operate across platforms with permissions and payment information, improving interoperability and preventing lock-in effects. It also supports machine-scale payments through blockchain micropayments and smart contracts, facilitating low-cost, precise payment distribution for economic activities between machines. Lastly, blockchain strengthens privacy protection by using zero-knowledge proofs, allowing users to verify their identity without exposing specific data, thus preventing AI from misusing information for impersonation. a16z believes that blockchain is essential infrastructure for building an AI-native internet, capable of restoring trust and supporting the healthy development of AI systems.