At the Redacted conference hosted by Near in Bangkok, renowned privacy advocate and whistleblower Edward Snowden shared his perspective on cryptocurrencies, AI, and the blockchain industry.
Snowden discussed the influence of venture capital investments on blockchain networks, using Solana as a case study. He expressed concerns about Solana’s heavy reliance on venture funding, comparing it to a “network born in prison.” While acknowledging Solana’s impressive growth, Snowden raised questions about the level of control early investors have over the network. However, he also acknowledged the potential for Solana to evolve over time.
Throughout his speech, Snowden stressed the importance of decentralization as a defense against AI-driven surveillance. He warned that the government and corporations could use AI to monitor personal data in real-time on an unprecedented scale, potentially identifying and targeting individuals exhibiting “anomalous” behavior.
In addition to Solana, Snowden criticized Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) for a recent incident where the venture capital firm used its voting power in Uniswap governance to manipulate decision-making, overriding a decentralized vote. He used this as an example to illustrate how large stakeholders can undermine the autonomy of blockchain communities.
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