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The potential of AI to reshape the economy and the internet has been widely discussed. While attention has focused on AGI and large language models (LLMs), less attention has been paid to how AI could transform how enterprises and individuals interact with the internet itself.

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This future internet paradigm will move beyond internet users using large LLMs for search or research, but instead will be based on a real-time, customisable and personalisable internet, enabled and protected by onchain AI. Switzerland’s strength in cryptography and AI innovation positions it to help lead this transformation. Headquartered in Zurich, the DFINITY Foundation is a Swiss-based non-profit organization of leading cryptographers, computer scientists and experts with the mission to decentralise the internet by serving as a key contributor to the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP).

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The Internet Computer envisions a future for the internet powered by onchain applications and AI that are intuitive to build and use, unstoppable, and immune to cyberattack, in turn facilitating personalised and customised internet services for users and enterprises alike.

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The New Paradigm

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Currently, the most popular consumer applications on the internet are the ones furthest down the pipeline towards a personalised internet. Consider a TikTok or Netflix account, where each profile is a personalised reflection of the signals the user has given the AI algorithm about their preferences for TV shows, movies or video content. We anticipate these personalised experiences will expand across domains—from customer relationship management (CRM) tools to gaming.

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Key blockers for this future state have been: concerns about the sovereignty or ownership of the data and AI models, the incredible complexity and cost of creating internet services, and the risks of hacks debilitating AI models or internet services that are both increasingly personalised and mission critical.

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The Internet Computer’s Role

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Onchain AI based on ICP technology solves these problems. Today, the Internet Computer is the only blockchain protocol that can run an AI model as a smart contract. This means it is inherently resistant to cyberattacks, and unstoppable because centralised cloud infrastructure providers cannot “turn off the taps.” With onchain AI, creators can build web applications without expertise in cybersecurity or cloud infrastructure.

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DFINITY is building fully onchain functionality that empowers users to prompt AI with simple instructions, that will then build and update digital services and apps quickly and efficiently. Meanwhile, ICP already provides orthogonal persistence, which automatically handles data storage and security for AI-driven applications, removing the complexity of AI handling.

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Future State

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This paradigm shift means that AI onchain has the potential to vastly increase the proliferation of new and personalised internet applications. This will, in turn, create a seismic shift in online infrastructure. Rather than software engineering jobs being focused on creating cookie-cutter applications and managing the cybersecurity or infrastructure of applications, software engineers will support innovators and users to better personalise their applications.

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We believe that this new paradigm will unleash incredible creativity and innovation. The Internet Computer is leading the way in solving the key infrastructure challenges that will enable this fundamental shift. As a Swiss-based Foundation, the DFINITY Team is excited by the opportunity to collaborate with the Swiss technology ecosystem to ensure that Switzerland is primed to be a key player in this new internet paradigm.

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Download the CV VC Top 50 Report 2024 for more Insights!

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Uncover more insights into how Crypto Valley is pushing the boundaries of technology in the full CV VC Top 50 report 2024. Download the full report to access information about venture funding in blockchain on a global scale, as well as who the top 50 entities building in Crypto Valley are.