PL Updates: Announcing LabWeek Field Building!
A decentralized conference by Protocol Labs, Foresight Institute and Edge Esmeralda, LabWeek Field Building will assemble people and teams from frontier science to drive progress.
📣 LabWeek Field Building Set to Assemble Leading Minds in Transcendental Tech
We’re thrilled to announce that LabWeek Field Building — a new decentralized conference by Protocol Labs, Foresight Institute and Edge Esmeralda — is set for June 10-16, 2024. Taking place at Edge Esmeralda, a temporary city in Healdsburg, CA, designed to foster innovation, LabWeek Field Building will address four main tracks: Neurotechnology, Human-AI Cooperation, Biotechnology & Longevity, and Extended Reality.
Who: Hosted by Protocol Labs and co-curated by Foresight Institute
Where: Edge Esmeralda, a temporary city built in Healdsburg, CA
When: June 10-16, 2024
LabWeek Field Building will have a special focus on four main tracks:
Neurotech, WBE, BCI: Discover the latest developments in brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and whole brain emulation (WBE), specifically the potential critical role for AI safety and human-machine cooperation.
Human-AI Cooperation: Examine the near and far future of human-AI cooperation, focusing on creating systems that could potentially overcome global challenges, enhance planetary coherence, and expand our cosmic horizons.
Biotech & Longevity: Explore the frontier of biotechnological innovations, specifically aimed at extending the healthy human lifespan.
XR (Extended Reality): Immerse yourself in the blooming fields of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and the metaverse, focusing on their roles in enhancing and revolutionizing human interactions.
LabWeek Field Building will also address transversal topics including Robotics, Nanotechnology, Governance, DeSci, Biodiversity, and Space Exploration. We're excited to assemble the leading figures in these spaces to drive deep meaningful conversations and strong collaborations.
Sign up to our newsletter for updates on all things LabWeek Field Building.
⚙️ New Tool Alert: Open-Sourcing Verifiable AI Solutions
Shipped: April 2024
What It Is: Bagel has taken a significant step forward in fostering transparency and trust in AI by open-sourcing its groundbreaking research on model watermarking and fingerprinting. These methodologies provide a practical and efficient means for verifying AI inferences, serving as a more accessible alternative to the complex zero-knowledge proofs traditionally used for such purposes.
Why It’s a Big Deal: This comes at a critical time when faith in AI technologies is being challenged by instances of performance degradation and unverifiable claims by major AI models. By making its research available to the open-source community, Bagel aims to empower developers and researchers to implement and improve upon these verification techniques, enhancing the reliability and accountability of AI systems.
The Big Picture: The release of this open-source research could dramatically shift how AI verifiability is approached in the industry. It allows for broader participation in refining these methods and encourages a collaborative approach to solving one of the most pressing issues in AI: trust. Bagel's initiative is set to inspire a wave of innovation in AI verification, paving the way for a more secure and transparent future in AI development.
Learn more here.
🌐 Apply to the Protocol Labs Dev Guild Cohort
The Protocol Labs Dev Guild is now accepting applications for its part-time cohort program, running from July 1 to September 6, 2024. Open to all, the program supports open-source contributors with mentorship and funding. It only takes 10-15 minutes to complete the application. Applications are open until May 13, so don't miss this chance to contribute to public goods projects and expand your open-source impact.
🎉 Filecoin RetroPGF Update: Nominees and Next Steps Announced
The Filecoin retroPGF program is accelerating with impressive numbers: 162 total nominations, from which 132 have been invited to take the next step and submit their applications. Following the submissions, badgeholder voting will take place until May 7. Stay tuned for the upcoming FIL rewards distribution and join us in celebrating the progress of this innovative funding initiative.
📡 Network Radar
The Filecoin ecosystem is growing greener with transformative projects that merge sustainability with web3 infrastructure. Key initiatives like Lucky Solar's factory retrofit and WEECycle's innovative recycling platform are setting new standards for environmental responsibility in the tech world. Learn more here.
At the EarthCommons conference, Lynne Twist earned a standing ovation with a powerful presentation on the profound "Bird of Humanity Prophecy." Attributed to the Haya (or Bahaya) and Cherokee peoples, the prophecy metaphorically illustrates humanity’s historical imbalance. Check it out here.
Explore, share, and grow within the Protocol Labs ecosystem through ProtoSphere. It’s more than just a forum — it’s a decentralized approach to social interaction that offers a new way to collaborate. Login here.
Claudia Richoux, CEO of Banyan, draws an insightful parallel between the history of Linux and the future of decentralized storage in an op-ed for CoinDesk.
Seal Storage Technology and Filecoin DeStor are collaborating with the Cyber SMART research center on a project to enhance AI data integrity. This initiative will develop secure, immutable records for AI applications, using blockchain-based storage to ensure the trustworthiness of data in complex ICT systems. Learn more here.
Graph Paper Capital is now accepting applications for its 12-week hybrid accelerator program, designed specifically for ambitious web3 founders. This initiative offers substantial benefits including capital, a dedicated Group Partner, and access to GPC's vast network of founders, builders, investors, and domain experts. Learn more here.
Mosaia AI is gearing up to introduce a new iteration designed to connect teams with smart contract audit services 10x faster. The team will gather user feedback to improve how quickly and efficiently it can match needs with expert vendors.
NFT.Storage invites you to join its DAO and contribute to the preservation of NFTs as timeless assets. Learn more here.
Mona is utilizing augmented reality on social media with a new collectable Unagi Cupcake game. Learn more about it here.
Spice.ai OSS has been comprehensively revamped using Rust to feature a unified SQL query interface and a portable runtime for efficiently managing datasets from any data source. Learn more here.
Prime Intellect from Molecule is leveraging decentralized AI to aggregate global compute resources for collaborative model training. Learn more here.
Artizen is inviting audacious artists to participate in two transformative funding opportunities. Atonuv Records offers $5,000 to musicians who push the boundaries of genre and performance, while the Cabin Fund allocates $20,000 to creators of large-scale installations and sculptures that merge art with nature, fostering community and environmental rejuvenation.
⭐ Key Event: Funding the Commons Tokyo
Join us this summer in Tokyo for the 10th Funding the Commons conference from July 24-25, 2024.
Curated by DeSci Tokyo and Plurality Tokyo, the program explores innovative approaches to supporting public goods, revitalizing communities, and addressing global challenges. Against the backdrop of Japan's environmental and demographic shifts, we invite you to engage in two days of presentations, panel discussions, and collaborative sessions — both in-person and virtual.
Whether you're a builder, protocol developer, academic, or funder, this event offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of public goods funding, and takes place just before EDCON Tokyo.
Register to be a part of forging new pathways toward sustainability. Learn more here.
📅 PL Events
Bookmark the PL Events page to stay up to date! Here are upcoming highlights:
May 29-31: Consensus Filecoin Orbit Meetup in Austin, TX.
June 10-16: LabWeek Field Building in Edge Esmeralda, CA.
📝 Tips?
Have a suggestion for the next PL Updates newsletter? We’d love to hear from you! Contact Sara Hamdan at sara.hamdan@protocol.ai.