Ethereum's Decentralized Structure Could Revolutionize AI Ethics

Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain by market capitalization, has the potential to address significant challenges in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, according to Eric Connor, a former core developer of the blockchain. Connor highlighted that AI is currently grappling with issues such as centralization, opaque algorithms, and privacy concerns. He suggested that Ethereum's decentralized structure, transparent smart contracts, token-driven incentives, and built-in micropayments system could provide a more ethical and collaborative foundation for AI development, free from the control of big tech monopolies.

Connor emphasized that smart contracts could enhance the transparency of AI training and data sourcing processes, reducing the secrecy that currently surrounds many commercial AI platforms. However, he acknowledged that large AI companies might resist such openness due to their reliance on data control for their business models. Despite this resistance, Connor believes that the growing demand for fairness and transparency could drive developers towards Ethereum's more ethical approach.

Ethereum's potential in the AI sector extends to the field of agentic AI, where autonomous software agents can make decisions, execute transactions, and interact with smart contracts. The blockchain supports these agents with real-time data access, digital asset ownership, and interoperability with decentralized applications. Projects like Luna, AIXBT, and Botto are already building on this foundation, while tools like Bankr and HeyAnon are enabling conversational interfaces for blockchain interaction.

Connor concluded that for Ethereum to become a driving force in ethical AI adoption, it must continue to develop the tools, research, and real-world applications that make decentralized AI viable. If successful, Ethereum could expand its impact well beyond finance, becoming a key player in the ethical AI landscape.