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- Solana Foundation integrates AI into its blockchain through the ChatGPT plugin, facilitating ease of understanding Solana data and protocols.
- The foundation ups its grant fund from $1 million to $10 million for projects exploring the intersection of Solana blockchain and AI, already receiving 50 applications.
AI Integration into Solana Blockchain
On May 23, the Solana Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the maintenance and development of the layer-1 Solana blockchain, disclosed its integration of artificial intelligence (AI) through the ChatGPT plugin. This initiative, developed by Solana Labs, opens up new avenues for understanding Solana’s data, protocols, and computing infrastructure. The plugin is readily available for download from GitHub and is fully open source.
Present functions of the plugin range from buying nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and transferring tokens, to inspecting transactions, interpreting public account data, and finding NFT collections based on floor price on Solana. According to Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, this AI integration offers a novel paradigm for instructing computers and should be considered by every developer building consumer-oriented applications.
Raising the Bar: Boosting the Grants Fund
With this move, the Solana Foundation further announced its decision to significantly increase funding for grants that explore the overlap of the Solana blockchain and AI. The fund has been boosted from its original amount of $1 million to an impressive $10 million. Developers noted that they have already received 50 applications for this rolling grants program, indicating strong interest in the area.
In conjunction with these developments, the Solana Foundation also initiated a three-month-long accelerator program specifically designed for university students. This program provides a platform for a full cohort to experiment with blockchain and AI technology. The developers stated that the initiative had attracted hundreds of applications from project contributors and had already resulted in an ‘Ask Solana U’ chatbot.
The Solana ecosystem has seen similar AI-focused initiatives recently. Hivemapper introduced AI Trainers last month, converting real-world imagery into detailed digital maps. This includes speed limits, warning signs, and other vital street information.
Since this launch, Solana developers report that protocol contributors have initiated a staggering 5.7 million AI training reviews, achieving consensus on 500,000 objects.