Stratos Partners with DeepSouth AI to Enhance Web3 Applications

The IoTeX Network has made significant strides with the launch of its 2.0 upgrade in Q3’24, which aims to provide decentralized infrastructure, public goods, and governance tools for Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN). This upgrade has led to a notable increase in network activity, with active wallets and transactions rising by 13% and 8% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ), respectively. The introduction of the ioID protocol has been pivotal, transforming hardware devices into on-chain entities with verifiable identities. As of Q3’24, the network is secured by 112 delegates who are actively staking $172 million, marking a 17% increase QoQ, and achieving an average staking participation rate of 41.3%. The IoTeX 2.0 upgrade also features an enhanced tokenomic design that seeks to balance inflationary staking rewards with deflationary token burns, thereby driving the utility of the IOTX token. Throughout Q3’24, IoTeX has integrated with several prominent networks and protocols, including Solana and Polygon, which positions the IoTeX Network as a robust ecosystem for DePIN projects. The middleware solution, W3bstream, is set to launch on the mainnet in Q1’25, further enhancing the network's capabilities by providing verifiability and scalability for DePINs. In addition to the technical advancements, IoTeX has established the Marshall DAO to manage a pool of IOTX tokens dedicated to funding DePIN projects. This community-driven approach allows token holders to propose and vote on initiatives, fostering a collaborative environment for innovation. The DePIN ecosystem on IoTeX has expanded significantly, with over 230 dApps and more than 50 dedicated DePIN projects, solidifying IoTeX's position as a leading player in the decentralized infrastructure space. The future looks promising as the network continues to evolve and attract diverse applications across various sectors, including DeFi and GameFi.

In a groundbreaking integration, Lit Protocol has demonstrated how to securely combine the capabilities of OpenAI and the Solana blockchain. By utilizing Wrapped Keys on Solana, developers can sign responses generated by the OpenAI API within a Lit Action. This integration opens up a myriad of innovative applications, particularly in the realm of AI-powered autonomous agents. These agents can operate on the blockchain without exposing sensitive API keys, thanks to Lit's threshold-based Programmable Key Pairs (PKPs) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEE). This ensures that all sensitive operations remain protected, allowing AI agents to interact with both blockchain and traditional web services while maintaining decentralized identities. The integration also emphasizes the importance of private compute and data processing. By encrypting data and executing large language model (LLM) prompts within Lit’s TEE, developers can ensure that sensitive information, such as medical records or financial data, remains secure throughout the process. The TEE provides hardware-level isolation, meaning even node operators cannot access decrypted data. This end-to-end encryption allows for the secure processing of private information, ensuring that all computations occur within a secure environment before results are re-encrypted and sent back. Furthermore, the integration facilitates the generation of cryptographic proofs for training and inference. By restricting PKP signing permissions to specific IPFS CID hashes, developers can guarantee the authenticity of LLM-generated content. This proof system is particularly beneficial for audit trails and compliance requirements, as it enables third parties to verify the authenticity of the content produced by the LLM. Overall, this integration showcases the potential of combining AI with blockchain technology, paving the way for more secure and efficient applications in the future.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to significant advancements across various sectors, yet it comes with a hefty environmental price tag due to its high energy consumption. AI models, particularly those utilizing neural networks, require substantial computational power, which translates to enormous electricity usage. For example, running ChatGPT in early 2023 consumed approximately 564 MWh of electricity daily, equivalent to the energy needs of around 18,000 U.S. households. This energy demand is primarily driven by complex floating-point operations essential for neural network computations, making the search for energy-efficient solutions critical as AI systems grow in complexity. Enter the L-Mul (Linear-Complexity Multiplication) algorithm, a groundbreaking development that promises to significantly reduce the energy burden associated with AI computations. L-Mul operates by approximating floating-point multiplications with simpler integer additions, which can be integrated into existing AI models without the need for fine-tuning. This innovative approach has demonstrated remarkable energy savings, achieving up to 95% reduction in energy consumption for element-wise tensor multiplications and 80% for dot product computations. Importantly, this energy efficiency does not compromise the accuracy of AI models, marking a significant advancement in the quest for sustainable AI. The implications of L-Mul extend beyond mere energy savings; it enhances the performance of AI models across various applications, including transformer models and large language models (LLMs). In benchmarks such as GSM8k and visual question answering tasks, L-Mul has outperformed traditional floating-point formats like FP8, showcasing its potential to handle complex computations efficiently. As the demand for AI continues to rise, L-Mul stands out as a pivotal solution that not only addresses the energy crisis associated with AI but also paves the way for a more sustainable future in technology development.

On November 12, 2024, zkVerify announced the launch of a decentralized proof verifier for Space and Time’s Proof of SQL ZK coprocessor on the SXT Chain. This innovative solution aims to enhance the speed and cost-effectiveness of SQL data verification, particularly for data-intensive applications. By utilizing zkVerify’s capabilities, organizations can validate their ZK-proven SQL queries more efficiently than traditional Ethereum verification methods. The integration of zero-knowledge proofs allows for secure validation of SQL queries against data stored on the SXT Chain, ensuring accuracy without the need for a central authority. The SXT Chain addresses the limitations of traditional smart contracts, which often struggle to access external or historical transaction data. By functioning as a decentralized database, it aggregates data from major blockchains such as Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Polygon, enabling trustless, cross-chain data processing. This capability allows smart contracts to efficiently query and analyze data, which is crucial as concerns about data manipulation and AI-generated content continue to rise. With zkVerify’s technology, organizations can prove data integrity while keeping the underlying information confidential, a significant advancement for sectors like finance and healthcare. Rob Viglione, CEO of Horizen Labs, emphasized that zero-knowledge proofs transform trust in digital systems by providing mathematical assurance of data integrity. The zkVerify platform is designed to facilitate rapid and cost-effective verification of ZK proofs across various blockchain networks, thereby enhancing the performance of existing systems and unlocking new opportunities within the Web3 ecosystem. As the verifier becomes available for testing on the zkVerify testnet, it paves the way for more sophisticated decentralized applications, including DeFi platforms and advanced data analytics solutions.

In an exciting development in the realm of decentralized technology, Stratos has announced a strategic partnership with Defender Bot. This collaboration aims to integrate Stratos Decentralized Storage into Defender Bot’s advanced security and community management system. Defender Bot is known for its versatile security solutions, which include signature-free security, gatekeeping access to Telegram groups, and managing whale groups. This partnership is set to enhance the capabilities of Defender Bot, making it a more robust tool for community management and security. The integration of Stratos Decentralized Storage will allow Defender Bot to securely store and manage sensitive community data, access permissions, and token information in a decentralized manner. This is particularly important in today's digital landscape where data privacy and security are paramount. By utilizing decentralized storage, Defender Bot can ensure that community data is not only secure but also reliable, providing users with peace of mind regarding their sensitive information. The scalability of decentralized storage further enhances the functionality of Defender Bot, allowing it to adapt to the growing needs of its user base. This partnership represents a significant step forward in community-centered security solutions. With the added benefits of decentralized data storage, Defender Bot communities can expect improved security measures and enhanced data privacy. As the collaboration unfolds, it is likely to set a new standard for how community management tools operate, emphasizing the importance of secure and decentralized data handling in the digital age.

Karrier One, a prominent player in telecommunications, is enhancing global connectivity through three key initiatives: the integration of SCION services, the establishment of a validator node on the Sui network, and the adoption of the Walrus decentralized storage protocol. With operations spanning Canada, the USA, Europe, and Africa, and plans for expansion into Asia, Karrier One is positioning itself at the forefront of innovation in the telecommunications sector. The integration of SCION (Scalability, Control, and Isolation On Next-Generation Networks) services aims to bolster the security and performance of Karrier One's global infrastructure. This cutting-edge technology enhances network control, providing robust protection against cyber threats and ensuring reliable connectivity. Adrian Perrig, a key figure behind SCION, emphasized that this deployment establishes Karrier One as a leader in the Web3 communication space, addressing the pressing need for reliable network solutions in the ecosystem. In addition to SCION, Karrier One's establishment of a validator node on the Sui network signifies a deeper commitment to decentralized technology. This move will not only enhance security across both networks but also enable Karrier One to earn staking rewards, further advancing its protocol. The adoption of the Walrus Decentralized Storage Protocol aligns with Karrier One's vision for improved data security and accessibility, allowing users greater control over their information while reducing reliance on centralized data centers. Through these initiatives, Karrier One is poised to revolutionize global telecommunications, creating a secure and decentralized network that empowers users worldwide.