As the first-ever blockchain technology that allows the execution of AI algorithms on the blockchain, Cortex provides a solution in the form of a platform that makes AI models programmable in smart contracts – and their TestNet has gone live. The company is actually ahead of schedule on this one.
The premise of smart contracts as one of the main drivers has merit. After all, they help you exchange literally anything of value in a transparent and conflict-free manner without third-party involvement. Yet, the limitations of a smart contract can be a highly troubling issue as we move further with blockchain development. As the first-ever blockchain technology that allows the execution of AI algorithms on the blockchain, Cortex provides a solution in the form of a platform that makes AI models programmable in smart contracts.
Artificial intelligence, for all its worth, offers a unique opportunity for advancement of blockchain technology and for the past few months, the team has worked on a TestNet release, that recently saw the light of day. The mining TestNet, codename Bernard, and AI smart contract TestNet, codename Dolores, are the first two instances of real-life examples of AI inference on the blockchain. Only part of the source code is open for tinkering (with all the copycats out there, perfectly understandable), with openly readable TestNet’s blockchain data to confirm its legitimacy.
TestNet release is comprised of eight elements: Cerebro Block Explorer, acting as a browser for the blockchain with enhanced functionality through added AI models, and the accompanying Cortex Wallet Cortex Full Node, consisting of 10 full nodes distributed in 6 countries so far (with more to come).
Consensus Mechanism with the Cuckoo Cycle algorithm as the framework behind it. Mining Pool and Mining Software for miners. AI Smart Contract with Solidity as the programming language of choice for writing and users free to upload their models.
Deterministic AI Inference: Synapse, a proprietary technology that guarantees exactly the same result of an AI model in heterogenetic computing environments. Quantization and Compression as two essential processes for optimizing the performance of AI models. Storage Layer, essentially a custom-made P2P network for storage of AI models and data based on Libtorrent for higher capacity.
Cortex aims to solve a fundamental infrastructural issue of current low-level computing power when it comes to complex AI algorithms. Hence, the project came up with a brand new public chain created from scratch to allow seamless execution of AI algorithms on the blockchain. The envisioned ecosystem is that of an open-source nature, with opened doors to AI developers to further the development of AI employment on the blockchain.
Next up is the launch of TestNet for AI smart contract, projected to go live by the end of March 2019. There will be a sample of AI smart contract created to run on the chain, while the main net is scheduled for the end of June 2019. Meanwhile, more details and tutorials will be released in the upcoming weeks. If you’re interested in more details about what lies under the hood of the Cortex platform, there’s tons of material. Check out our video interview we did with Amy Chen, COO of the project, at the recent Blockchain Futurist Summit in Canada, the project’s website for more information on the TestNet and the project itself, as well as the Github page for the TestNet’s binary code and instruction. Originally posted on https://decentrism.com/first-ever-ai-powered-testnet-launches/