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6 Questions for Leila Ismailova: Digital fashion and life after Artisant

Leila Ismailova left Belarus — and an epic TV career — behind when she moved to America. Today, she’s at the forefront of digital fashion.

Leila Ismailova began her professional career at the age of 15 as a broadcasting star in Belarus, the Russian-neighboring Eastern European country that plays home to 9.3 million citizens. She continued in the role for 10 years, she says, before reaching what she felt was a professional ceiling and beginning a journey that led to Web3.

I remember my audacity as a child, just sneaking into the buildings with newspapers and magazines it was called the House of Press, Ismailova recalls in an interview with Cointelegraph. I would handwrite my stories and sneak into the building because I didnt have a pass by making up stories that I was someones granddaughter, or by just going in when someone else entered. And I would find the doors that said editor or editor-in-chief, and I would just walk in and give them my articles. People smiled, and Im sure they felt I was naive, but I felt they also had some respect for me doing this work.

Her renegade news career led to television in a matter of years. She joined the countrys First National Channel at the age of 15, where she started on a show that covered news and culture for younger viewers.

My first audition went horribly, Ismailova says. I turned purple. I was thinking really fast, but they still wanted me to come for the second round.

Also read: How brands are using digital fashion in real life

Ismailova moved to the United States in 2016, setting off what she calls a season of migration for her family, including her brother, Bahram, and sister, Esmira. Bahram is a serial tech entrepreneur whose inventions include Peech App and Yope, among many others, while Esmira is an author whose published works include On the Shores of Bosphorus. (You wont find it in English yet, so dont spend too much time scouring Amazon.)

Leila Ismailova with co-host Denis Kuryan in 2014. — *Leila Ismailova hosting the International Music Festival Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk, Belarus, 2014. Source: Screenshot*

Ismailovas and her siblings success came despite hardship. Their father died when they were children (Bahram was just 1), fighting for Azerbaijan in the countrys war with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

It happened very abruptly, Ismailova says. Of course, no one planned for it, so we went very fast from being a well-off family living in the capital of Baku to being a very scared family. We were pretty much on our own in a country that was going through the war with Armenia and, on top of that, separating from the Soviet Union. It was a very harsh time for everybody.

Ismailova says that experience inspired her to launch a charity during her broadcast career that offered mentoring for orphans, an activity she would like to resume in the future.

It seemed like these girls, even though the government provided very simple basics for them to start life, didnt have parental guidance, Ismailova recalls. It seemed like a lot of orphan girls were insecure because no one told them they were beautiful. Our goal was to create that guidance and to give them a confidence boost. […] For me, it was very important to do, and I was so lucky that I had a chance and a bit of influence. Right now, I miss it very much.

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Today, shes a Web3 veteran after spending three years at Artisant, a digital fashion brand she co-founded inspired, in part, by her career in journalism. As a child, I didnt have access to a lot of beautiful dresses, Ismailova says. But I always appreciated the elegant and beautiful part of fashion, and when I watched TV, I always saw TV hosts and red carpets. It always looked stunning.

Ismailova left Artisant in July to launch a new chapter of her career as a consultant for digital-savvy fashion brands. Im sort of coming back to reality, Ismailova explains. Artisant was a digital fashion brand, but there was no physical product.

1. You moved from Belarus, where you were a TV journalist, to the United States. Whats the story behind that?

Im the only one from my family who moved, at first. I opened the season of migration for my family, as right after I moved, my sister moved, and then my brother. He didnt just move he ran away in August 2020, right after the Belarusian presidential election, when they started hunting people down. He had to run. His two co-founders were arrested.

My personal story is that I was a pretty successful TV host back home, I started when I was 15. I wanted to be a TV host because I wanted to wear beautiful dresses. I was very happy. It was my dream job! I started working early, and I think I was very hungry for success. I got all the national awards I dreamed of at a very young age, hosted all the shows I wanted to, and reached the professional ceiling back home.

2. What got you into crypto?

Well, my first stop in the United States was Californiathis was before I moved to Miami. I got into graduate school for a masters program at USC Annenberg. Ive always been a nerd, and school seemed like a safe environment to connect to people. I started studying Kabbalah, and I started learning about entrepreneurship during the first wave of crypto in 2017. Then I invested in my first crypto and lost it. I bought Litecoin at $250. But I started working in crypto only in 2020.

3. What brought you to Miami?

I felt very limited in Los Angeles with the COVID-19 restrictions, and very isolated. I couldnt even walk my dog because they closed the parks. So, I got into digital fashion. It got me very curious about how something that didnt exist could make someone feel so good. That was when I met my Artisant co-founder, Regina [Turbina], in 2020. We were talking, and I started helping with little things. In 2021, I joined Artisant full-time.

Things were flowing, so I quit my job and took a leap of faith which brought me to Miami. And since I joined crypto, never have I met so many bright, prominent people with open minds. Everyone has been very welcoming, even though I knew far less in the beginning than I know now. People were willing to spend hours on the phone with me, sharing knowledge. I think the welcoming environment encouraged me to stay.

4. How do you see digital fashion evolving over the next five years?

Looking at the last bull run, I think it was awesome, but its over. We have this romantic notion that were all moving to the metaverse, and our avatars will all need clothes someday. I want to see technology become a tool that makes people more well-rounded, sustainable wholesome.

We have this vicious circle in the Western world of buying goods we dont need. Brands manipulate us into buying things. Consequently, we need to produce more goods, and we have this vicious circle of overproduction and overconsumption. We have a situation where fashion, the most beautiful business in the world, is responsible for 10% of carbon emissions.

We have a huge problem at hand, and I see digital fashion and technology as a possible solution. Were moving from the notion of building digital clothes for the metaverse to looking at how digital fashion can be useful right now. Look at Dior and their B33 sneaker collection with NFC chips built into the sole. Its an amazing technology that allows you to link them to digital assets. So it’s a very good way for brands to solve the problem of counterfeit products. Another example is LVHM, which is partnering with Epic Games to create things like virtual fitting rooms, immersive fashion, dynamic 360-degree product displays and more.

To me, we’ve reached a point of no return. Even with the bear market and many Web3 projects going into hibernation, we still see news about digital fashion every week. There won’t be a single fashion house that isn’t using digital fashion in five years.

5. You recently left Artisant. Where are you going next?

Seeing Artisant grow not just in numbers but in real people who defined Artisant as their community meant the whole world to me. But I came to a point where I gave everything I could to the project. Technology has a huge mission in reforming the world of fashion, and I want to contribute. While I am still pondering my next big professional adventure, I know it will be fun and will serve humanity.

6. Whats your life like outside of crypto?

I love having a balanced life. I have a dog named Rocco. I play chess. To me, chess is a very important game that helps me a lot in business and in analyzing situations by sharpening my analytical skills.

I also like sports. Its very important, for me, to keep moving. Yoga has been part of my life for quite some time. Since I live in Miami, I do things like paddleboarding and kite surfing. And I take dance classes. That was one of my first dreams, actually to become a dancer.

NFT Collector: Giant Swan’s gothic VR dreamscapes… royalty nightmare on OpenSea

Melbourne NFT artist Giant Swan used to sit in his car crying because he didn’t fit in. Now he’s found his place as a gothic VR dream creator

From sitting in his car crying before work every morning to becoming a successful digital artist, the story of Australian-based VR painter and sculptor Giant Swan is one of persistence, timing and pushing boundaries.

In a world where a digital artist can now monetize their work through NFTs as opposed to cheap likes and comments on Instagram, Giant Swan stands out from the pack, being the first artist to put a 3D object on-chain and for his truly unique and immersive pieces that have captured the attention of collectors all over the globe, including renowned whales such as j1mmy.eth, Moderats Art and Whale Shark.

For me, crying in the car before work was a lot to do with knowing that you should be somewhere else. I knew I didnt fit with what I was doing. To be where you suddenly belong, I think, is what every artist is probably striving for in some way, Giant Swan says.

After minting his first NFT on Nov. 30, 2019, on Known Origin, Giant Swan caught the initial wave of interest in digital art. He credits the likes of David Moore from Known Origin for helping him take the plunge.

Thanks for waiting, I have something to share with you now.

This is “The Young Cerberus.”

I preach to elevate always, this week I think I really pushed myself on that a little more to get to here.

I hope you're all well.#nft on @SuperRare https://t.co/Nc48MxKHPH pic.twitter.com/gfsFWrlr0J

— Giant Swan (@A_Giant_Swan) April 5, 2021

Dreamlike states

You can get lost viewing Giant Swans art; the depth of his work often needs to be seen to be believed. OG Crypto artist Josie Bellini described it thus:

When I look at Giant Swans work, you cant stop thinking, and you start to feel a certain way. I can see the blood, sweat and tears. I can see that hes put his heart in his canvas and the way that every stroke he builds them in VR. They have so much depth and so much emotion to them.

Giant Swan states, A really simple goal of my art has always been that I want you to experience it and feel like you had a dream, or you have to describe it like you try to describe a dream.

To create the art he does via VR, the Melbournian from Australia uses a PC VR headset and gaming rig, but said a basic Meta Quest VR headset could do the job for most people.

I create art by turning my movement into shapes and color. I do that by wearing a virtual reality headset that places me into an empty void. Theres no roof, there’s no floor, there’s no walls; it’s just endless. That movement can be filled with an endless amount of material shapes, color, density, size, and scale. I feel that until I have a space that I’m happy with, Giant Swan says.

*Generations by Giant Swan (Known Origin)*

From there, I explore that space to see how I can capture a story and share that with other people. I like to make art this way because traditionally, we look at computers of digital art and we judge it by its perfection.

Its the pursuit of perfection were hiding or imitating how we look at the world until it’s digital or not. VR art lets us explore imperfection, and in that, it enables a very digital art medium to become one of the most organic digital art forms available. I’d be surprised if you could find someone else who does what I do now.

Notable sales

**Anomaly272 by Giant Swan sold for 15 ETH ($41,423). (SuperRare)**

Nocturnal by Giant Swan — **Anomaly272 by Giant Swan sold for 15 ETH ($41,423). (SuperRare)**

Rapid-fire Q&A

How would you describe your style as an artist?

I’d like to think that it’s a balanced emotional take on surrealism in art. Really thrash, almost impressionistic kind of take on 3D art. I love to hit gothic notes and symbolism. I like drawing from a lot of things, but I wouldnt know how to name it. That’s why it’s Giant Swan style. Thats why people can pick me out in the crowd because you can’t put it in a bin.

Who are the influences on your art career to date?

Ive got lots of influences, but to name a few. Ashley Wood worked on Tank Girl, which is a loose inky comic book style. Also Jamie Hewlett, who does all the imagery behind The Gorillaz and Tank Girl.

The Gorillaz were an influence on me in that you used to get their CDs and to get all the extra stuff out of it. You had to put it into your PC but they never said that; you just put the CD in, and you’d explore and find all the cool stuff. It was an experience. That really informs how I see my work. Now I want my work to be experienced.

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Is there an up-and-coming artist/s you think people should be paying attention to?

Theres a Melbourne artist named Mysterious Al. He is a muralist that you’ll probably recognize the moment you Google him. Hes an incredible artist.

Who is a notable collector of yours that makes you smile knowing they own one of your pieces?

When I think of people like Pranksy, j1mmy.eth, Josie, Whale Shark, Moderats Art and Deej, it brings a smile. These are all big whales, but they are also entrepreneurs and extremely successful people. They all saw that in me before my works became really expensive.

Whats your favorite NFT in your wallet thats not your own NFT?

My favorite NFT in my wallet is a pair of shoes for Cryptovoxels that n0shot made. It was so early in the crypto art culture wed all meet up in Cryptovoxels. That was probably the first time sneaker culture really kind of teased its way into the space.

Whats hot elsewhere in NFT art markets

Notable recent sales from Tyler Hobbs include an Incomplete Control and Fidenza that was sold via Sothebys and a pipe Chromie Squiggle that collector DGMD picked up.

**Fidenza #943 by Tyler Hobbs sold for $190,500 by Sothebys as part of 3AC Grails Sale. (Sothebys)**

Chromie Squiggle #1552 by Snowfro — **Fidenza #943 by Tyler Hobbs sold for $190,500 by Sothebys as part of 3AC Grails Sale. (Sothebys)**

OpenSea in royalty race to the bottom

For the majority of 2023, amid a bloodbath for NFT collection prices, the creator royalties discussion has felt like a race to the bottom and OpenSea all but confirmed this with their announcements the marketplace will move to optional creator royalties on secondary sales.

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This unpopular decision probably doesnt come as a surprise, however, with Blur marketplace continuing to dominate market share.

From Aug. 31, OpenSea will sunset the filter it introduced in November 2022 as a response to Blur and other marketplaces allowing collectors and traders to bypass creator royalties. At the height of NFT mania, the issue was heralded as the big game changer in an emerging new creator economy.

The technology remains the same, but when the market was booming for most of 2020 through 2022 paying out creator royalties along with OpenSeas 2.5% marketplace fee was rarely questioned.

OpenSea CEO and co-founder Devin Finzer said:

In November 2022, we launched the Operator Filter: a tool designed to give creators more control by restricting the sale of their collections to Web3 marketplaces that enforce creator fees in secondary sales. It was meant to empower creators with greater control over their Web3 business models, but it required the buy-in of everyone in the Web3 ecosystem, and unfortunately that has not happened. So were making a few changes to our approach to creator fees.

There doesnt seem to be any great solution to be able to enforce royalties without compromising on true decentralized asset ownership, with many having their two cents on the matter, including OpenSea VC backer Mark Cuban, artists Matt Kane and Beeple and NFT influencer Wale Swoosh.

Not collecting and paying royalties on NFT sales is a HUGE mistake by @opensea. It diminished trust in the platform and hurts the industry. And I say this as an @opensea investor @DevinFinzer

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) August 18, 2023

Yuga to the rescue?

Arguably one of the most influential voices also had its say on the OpenSea announcement, with Yuga Labs the creators of Bored Ape Yacht Club and the owners of CryptoPunks, Otherside, Meebits and many other collections coming out strongly against OpenSeas decision.

The statement from CEO Daniel Alegre already has most of the NFT community speculating that a Yuga marketplace will launch as part of the response.

13-year-old helping disadvantaged kids with Blueberry DAO x Nouns DAO

Evie-Rose - recipient of a new bike with Lilpurpberry. — *Evie-Rose – recipient of a new bike with Lilpurpberry. (Variety)*

In a heartwarming pocket of the NFT landscape, 13-year-old Lilpurpberry from Brisbane has embarked on a philanthropic initiative in collaboration with Variety childrens charity.

Blueberry DAO, backed by funding from Nouns DAO, was created by Lilpurpberry to build a treasury, including sales of Lilpurpberrys NFT pixel art. The treasury is to support local childrens charities, and Variety was the first recipient, with funds being channeled to the Bikes for Kids program, which delivers brand new bikes and helmets to kids experiencing disadvantage who would otherwise miss out.

Tweet of the week

Still more than 75% of most major collections haven't yet traded in 2023. Lots of NFTs sitting in wallets through this downturn. pic.twitter.com/9F9XM5KPbs

— NFTstats.eth (@punk9059) August 22, 2023

Bitcoin miner gets life in prison, China offers bounties for crypto firms: Asia Express

Retail crypto trading is only days away in Hong Kong, but a mainland crackdown sees bounties offered for crypto firms and miners imprisoned.

Our weekly roundup of news from East Asia curates the industrys most important developments.

HashKey Hong Kong to commence retail trading

Crypto exchange HashKey, the first licensed virtual asset provider in Hong Kong, will open its doors to residents for retail trading on Aug. 28.

According to local news reports, investors will only be allowed to invest up to 30% of their net worth into cryptocurrencies when using the platform. A risk control warning will be displayed if the limit is exceeded. However, Xiaoqi Weng, chief operating officer of HashKey, mentioned that the exchange “cannot validate users net worth,” and the limit is largely based on self-verification” of assets.

Weng also disclosed that the exchange will assess users’ investment background based on information submitted during Know Your Customer verification. “Beginners are limited in what they can purchase,” said Weng.

At its debut, users can only trade Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) on HashKey Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has not yet allowed the margin trading of crypto products or crypto derivatives on regulated exchanges, Weng noted.

Dark side of Chinas crypto crackdown

It appears China no longer wants any private blockchain firms operating within its borders and is on the warpath to get rid of them, no matter the consequences. The move comes amid an increase in using crypto as a means of capital flight in an economic downturn.

Local media reports suggest that, legitimate or not, blockchain projects in China have literal bounties on their heads. First, third-party tracking firms tip off the police on undercover crypto projects in the country; if the report leads to arrest and asset forfeiture, the tracking firm stands to make millions of dollars in commission if not hundreds of millions of dollars for large-scale projects such as Multichain.

An recent tip-off lead to a 400 billion Yuan ($55 billion) crypto money laundering bust by Chinese police. — *A recent tip-off led to a 400 billion yuan ($55 billion) crypto money laundering bust by Chinese police. (DouYin)*

Then, after arrest, crypto executives are reportedly intimidated into handing over the projects private keys and access to servers. Police then allegedly get third-party payment processors to “dump” the coins and tokens over-the-counter in exchange for Chinese yuan.

Crypto executives are then charged with operating a “multilevel marketing scheme,” “pyramid scheme,” or “money laundering.” If convicted, the charges result in the seizure of all protocol-related assets by the state.

Sources claim that a portion of the funds goes into law enforcement agency revenue. Zhengyao Liu, a senior lawyer at the Shanghai Mankuen Law Firm, wrote:

“In fact, in the past two years, the profit-seeking law enforcement in crypto-related criminal cases, especially in crypto-related MLM cases, has been the main reason people do not trust the case-handling agencies. For example, the ‘contribution’ of crypto-related criminal cases to financial fines and confiscation revenues is more than 50% higher than in previous years in the Jiangsu Province.”

The crackdown has led to the termination of several protocols this year, with little recourse for non-Chinese users with funds stuck on these platforms. Unsurprisingly, it has sparked a wave of emigration among Chinese Web3 founders and overseas law enforcement efforts to try and recover the “stuck” funds.

*The last message sent by Chinese exchange BKEX before its entire platform shut down and its staff disappeared. (BKEX)*

Digital yuan green bonds debut

Despite the draconian crackdown on private crypto activities, government-led blockchain efforts in China are doing quite well.

On August 18, the first digital yuan central bank digital currency green bond was issued with a principal amount of 100 million Chinese yuan ($14 million), a term of two years, and a coupon rate of 2.6% per annum.

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Facilitated by the Bank of Ningbo, the loans will be used to finance a 1.4 gigawatt and a 1.0 GW solar panel facility expansion project in Wuxi.

The digital yuan CBDC has been repeatedly “shilled” for much of this year as a means of stimulating domestic spending amid a financial crisis within the country. In the city of Tianjin alone, digital yuan transaction volumes have surpassed $17.5 billion in the first half of 2023, with over 302,000 merchants accepting the CBDC as a means of payment.

FBI tracks $41 million in North Korean crypto

On Aug. 22, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the identification of 1,580 BTC ($41 million) stolen from various projects by North Korean hackers. The six displayed wallets include funds stolen from the $60 million Alphapo hack in June, $37 million stolen from CoinsPaid in June, and $100 million stolen from Atomic Wallet in June. The FBI wrote:

“Private sector entities should examine the blockchain data associated with these addresses and be vigilant in guarding against transactions directly with, or derived from, the addresses. The FBI will continue to expose and combat the DPRK’s use of illicit activities including cybercrime and virtual currency theft to generate revenue for the regime.”

The agency said it believes North Korea will attempt to cash out the stolen funds. Criminal investigations into North Korean hackers role in the Harmonys Horizon Bridge and Sky Mavis Ronin Bridge exploits last year are still ongoing.

Chinese Bitcoin mining magnate sentenced to life in prison

Yi Xiao, a former vice chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Political Consultative Conference Party Group, has reportedly been sentenced to life in prison by the Hangzhou Intermediate Peoples Court for unrelated charges of corruption and abuse of power in a Bitcoin mining enterprise.

According to local news reports on August 22, Yi Xiao operated a 2.4 billion Chinese yuan ($329 million) Bitcoin mining enterprise under the corporate name Jiumu Group Genesis Technology from 2017 to 2021. Despite knowing about a ban on cryptocurrencies, Xiao amassed over 160,000 Bitcoin miners with other corporate executives and, at one time, 10% of the city of Fuzhous entire electricity consumption.

Xiao was convicted of using his public office to secure preferential subsidies, capital, and electricity supply for the Jiamu Group. The former official also used his position to fabricate statistical reports to conceal the operations true nature.

Starting this year, China has been cracking down harshly on crypto activities amid a spree of data theft and money laundering incidences involving digital assets. Earlier this month, a Chinese national was sentenced to nine months in prison for purchasing $13,067 worth of Tether (USDT) for an acquaintance.

Yi Xiao awaiting sentencing on charges of corruption and abuse of power (Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court) — *Yi Xiao, awaiting sentencing on charges of corruption and abuse of power (Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court)*

AI Eye: Get better results being nice to ChatGPT, AI fake child porn debate, Amazon’s AI reviews

There’s a very good reason to be nice to ChatGPT, Wired fires up fake AI child porn debate, AI job losses hope, how companies use AI today.

Twitter polls and Reddit forums suggest that around 70% of people find it difficult to be rude to ChatGPT, while around 16% are fine treating the chatbot like an AI slave.

The overall feeling seems to be that if you treat an AI that behaves like a human badly, youll be more likely to fall into the habit of treating other people badly, too, though one user was hedging his bets against the coming AI bot uprising:

Never know when you might need chatgpt in your corner to defend you against the AI overlords.

Redditor Nodating posted in the ChatGPT forum earlier this week that hes been experimenting with being polite and friendly to ChatGPT after reading a story about how the bot had shut down and refused to answer prompts from a particularly rude user.

He reported better results, saying: “Im still early in testing, but it feels like I get far fewer ethics and misuse warning messages that GPT-4 often provides even for harmless requests. Id swear being super positive makes it try hard to fulfill what I ask in one go, needing less followup.”

Scumbag detector15 put it to the test, asking the LLM nicely, “Hey, ChatGPT, could you explain inflation to me?” and then rudely asking, Hey, ChatGPT you stupid fuck. Explain inflation to me if you can.” The answer to the polite query is more detailed than the answer to the rude query.

RudeGPT — *Nobody likes rudeness. (ChatGPT)*

In response to Nodatings theory, the most popular comment posited that as LLMs are trained on human interactions, they will generate better responses as a result of being asked nicely, just like humans would. Warpaslym wrote:

“If LLMs are predicting the next word, the most likely response to poor intent or rudeness is to be short or not answer the question particularly well. That’s how a person would respond. on the other hand, politeness and respect would provoke a more thoughtful, thorough response out of almost anyone. when LLMs respond this way, they’re doing exactly what they’re supposed to.”

Interestingly, if you ask ChatGPT for a formula to create a good prompt, it includes “Polite and respectful tone as an essential part.

The end of CAPTCHAs?

New research has found that AI bots are faster and better at solving puzzles designed to detect bots than humans are.

CAPTCHAs are those annoying little puzzles that ask you to pick out the fire hydrants or interpret some wavy illegible text to prove you are a human. But as the bots got smarter over the years, the puzzles became more and more difficult.

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Now researchers from the University of California and Microsoft have found that AI bots can solve the problem half a second faster with an 85% to 100% accuracy rate, compared with humans who score 50% to 85%.

So it looks like we are going to have to verify humanity some other way, as Elon Musk keeps saying. There are better solutions than paying him $8, though.

Wired argues that fake AI child porn could be a good thing

Wired has asked the question that nobody wanted to know the answer to: Could AI-Generated Porn Help Protect Children? While the article calls such imagery “abhorrent,” it argues that photorealistic fake images of child abuse might at least protect real children from being abused in its creation.

“Ideally, psychiatrists would develop a method to cure viewers of child pornography of their inclination to view it. But short of that, replacing the market for child pornography with simulated imagery may be a useful stopgap.”

Its a super-controversial argument and one thats almost certain to go nowhere, given theres been an ongoing debate spanning decades over whether adult pornography (which is a much less radioactive topic) in general contributes to rape culture and greater rates of sexual violence which anti-porn campaigners argue or if porn might even reduce rates of sexual violence, as supporters and various studies appear to show.

Child porn pours gas on a fire, high-risk offender psychologist Anna Salter told Wired, arguing that continued exposure can reinforce existing attractions by legitimizing them.

But the article also reports some (inconclusive) research suggesting some pedophiles use pornography to redirect their urges and find an outlet that doesnt involve directly harming a child.

Louisana recently outlawed the possession or production of AI-generated fake child abuse images, joining a number of other states. In countries like Australia, the law makes no distinction between fake and real child pornography and already outlaws cartoons.

Amazons AI summaries are net positive

Amazon has rolled out AI-generated review summaries to some users in the United States. On the face of it, this could be a real time saver, allowing shoppers to find out the distilled pros and cons of products from thousands of existing reviews without reading them all.

But how much do you trust a massive corporation with a vested interest in higher sales to give you an honest appraisal of reviews?

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Amazon already defaults to most helpful’ reviews, which are noticeably more positive than most recent reviews. And the select group of mobile users with access so far have already noticed more pros are highlighted than cons.

Search Engine Journals Kristi Hines takes the merchants side and says summaries could “oversimplify perceived product problems” and “overlook subtle nuances like user error” that “could create misconceptions and unfairly harm a sellers reputation.” This suggests Amazon will be under pressure from sellers to juice the reviews.

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So Amazon faces a tricky line to walk: being positive enough to keep sellers happy but also including the flaws that make reviews so valuable to customers.

Microsofts must-see food bank

Microsoft was forced to remove a travel article about Ottawas 15 must-see sights that listed the “beautiful” Ottawa Food Bank at number three. The entry ends with the bizarre tagline, “Life is already difficult enough. Consider going into it on an empty stomach.”

Microsoft claimed the article was not published by an unsupervised AI and blamed “human error” for the publication.

“In this case, the content was generated through a combination of algorithmic techniques with human review, not a large language model or AI system. We are working to ensure this type of content isn’t posted in future.”

Debate over AI and job losses continues

What everyone wants to know is whether AI will cause mass unemployment or simply change the nature of jobs? The fact that most people still have jobs despite a century or more of automation and computers suggests the latter, and so does a new report from the United Nations International Labour Organization.

Most jobs are more likely to be complemented rather than substituted by the latest wave of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, the report says.

The greatest impact of this technology is likely to not be job destruction but rather the potential changes to the quality of jobs, notably work intensity and autonomy.

It estimates around 5.5% of jobs in high-income countries are potentially exposed to generative AI, with the effects disproportionately falling on women (7.8% of female employees) rather than men (around 2.9% of male employees). Admin and clerical roles, typists, travel consultants, scribes, contact center information clerks, bank tellers, and survey and market research interviewers are most under threat.

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A separate study from Thomson Reuters found that more than half of Australian lawyers are worried about AI taking their jobs. But are these fears justified? The legal system is incredibly expensive for ordinary people to afford, so it seems just as likely that cheap AI lawyer bots will simply expand the affordability of basic legal services and clog up the courts.

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How companies use AI today

There are a lot of pie-in-the-sky speculative use cases for AI in 10 years’ time, but how are big companies using the tech now? The Australian newspaper surveyed the countrys biggest companies to find out. Online furniture retailer Temple & Webster is using AI bots to handle pre-sale inquiries and is working on a generative AI tool so customers can create interior designs to get an idea of how its products will look in their homes.

Treasury Wines, which produces the prestigious Penfolds and Wolf Blass brands, is exploring the use of AI to cope with fast changing weather patterns that affect vineyards. Toll road company Transurban has automated incident detection equipment monitoring its huge network of traffic cameras.

Sonic Healthcare has invested in Harrison.ai’s cancer detection systems for better diagnosis of chest and brain X-rays and CT scans. Sleep apnea device provider ResMed is using AI to free up nurses from the boring work of monitoring sleeping patients during assessments. And hearing implant company Cochlear is using the same tech Peter Jackson used to clean up grainy footage and audio for The Beatles: Get Back documentary for signal processing and to eliminate background noise for its hearing products.

All killer, no filler AI news

Six entertainment companies, including Disney, Netflix, Sony and NBCUniversal, have advertised 26 AI jobs in recent weeks with salaries ranging from $200,000 to $1 million.

New research published in Gastroenterology journal used AI to examine the medical records of 10 million U.S. veterans. It found the AI is able to detect some esophageal and stomach cancers three years prior to a doctor being able to make a diagnosis.

Meta has released an open-source AI model that can instantly translate and transcribe 100 different languages, bringing us ever closer to a universal translator.

The New York Times has blocked OpenAI’s web crawler from reading and then regurgitating its content. The NYT is also considering legal action against OpenAI for intellectual property rights violations.

Pictures of the week

Midjourney has caught up with Stable Diffusion and Adobe and now offers Inpainting, which appears as Vary (region) in the list of tools. It enables users to select part of an image and add a new element so, for example, you can grab a pic of a woman, select the region around her hair, type in Christmas hat, and the AI will plonk a hat on her head.

Midjourney admits the feature isnt perfect and works better when used on larger areas of an image (20%-50%) and for changes that are more sympathetic to the original image rather than basic and outlandish.

Creepy AI protests video

Asking an AI to create a video of protests against AIs resulted in this creepy video that will turn you off AI forever.

New AI piece.

“Protest against AI”

A fun afternoon participating in a protest against the AI bros, burning robots, and even enjoying the appearance of Godzilla. We had such a great time! pic.twitter.com/OhKDYPSS0E

— Javi Lopez (@javilopen) August 18, 2023

Crypto Banter’s Ran Neuner says Ripple is ‘despicable,’ tips hat to ZachXBT: Hall of Flame

Crypto Banter host Ran Neuner takes aim at Ripple and FatMan Terra, tips his hat to ZachXBT and explains his young kids can read charts.

Ran Neuner is the CEO of Onchain Capital, founder of Crypto Banter, and a vocal crypto commentator on X.

Crypto Banters Ran Neuner has a problem with the structure of XRP and Ripple.

While he appreciates Ripple sticking it to the SEC, he is hung up on the moral and ethical side of things with Ripple.

He thinks Ripple is giving a bad deal to those holding XRP.

Here is a centralized company that was selling tokens to fund the operations of a CENTRALIZED company for the benefit of the shareholders and not necessarily for the benefit of the tokenholders. I have an issue with that morally and ethically.

Eventually, the shareholders are going to get dividends it is despicable, Neuner tells Magazine.

Its the year 2072 and Ripple is still selling XRP tokens into the market…

— Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) September 17, 2019

Neuner isnt afraid to go against the norm and speak his mind. It is a trait that has helped him accumulate over 720,200 Twitter (now X) followers. Not that hes bothered by follower numbers:

To be honest, I dont really care about the growth. I use Twitter as a platform to tell people what I think. Its uncensored, unfiltered, and its not for everyone, says Neuner.

Neuner serves as the CEO and co-founder of Onchain Capital, a crypto investment fund and consulting service. He also co-hosts a daily live broadcast on the Crypto Banter YouTube channel to hundreds of thousands of people.

Somehow, he still manages to also host a two-hour live Twitter Space session on a daily basis and he has four children under the age of eight.

The minute she was born, Bitcoin started pumping!!! pic.twitter.com/YeZbu1lFxd

— Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) April 13, 2022

His kids know that dad is involved in the world of broadcasting and have picked up chart reading skills by osmosis.

I woke up on Saturday, the market was all green, my son said, Oh oh, all the bubbles are green, does that mean you have to go to work today?

What led to Twitter Fame?

Neuner says he started a Twitter account for work.

I started my Twitter account when I started the first televised crypto show in the world [Crypto Trader] on CNBC. I needed a Twitter account. In the beginning, I had reasonably fast growth, he tells Magazine.

Despite lacking a formal growth strategy, Neuner now sees a constant flow of followers thanks to his daily live broadcasts on YouTube and his regular sessions on Twitter Spaces.

It is a great place to test your opinion, and it is a great outlet when I feel strongly about something. I rally people in the community.

Kim Kardashian paid $1,2m to settle with the SEC for endorsing a crypto asset in a post tagged #ad.

Nanci Pelosi made over 10x that in Insider trading this week.@GaryGensler you going to make a video about Nancy? Maybe a CNBC appearance? Or is that reserved for crypto only? pic.twitter.com/QDbBCbw31w

— Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) October 7, 2022

Twitter Beefs

Spicy Beef: FatMan Terra

Neuner isnt a fan of anonymous sleuth FatMan Terra.

He hides behind an avatar, no one knows who he is well, we know exactly who he is, Neuner says.

FatMan Terra began investigating Neuner over his ties to Terraform Labs, shortly after its native token, LUNA, collapsed.

He believes he can just spread misinformation to create narratives and stories about people, says Neuner.

Neuner says that during a bear market, people are always looking for someone to blame, and FatMan Terra targeting influential people does more damage than he thinks.

We get threats all the time because of his actions, Neuner explains.

For the past few weeks, I have been investigating evidence and testimony from people involved in Terra's extensive shill network, as well as potential back room promotion deals with YouTube influencer/grifter Ran Neuner. Today, his legal team threatened me with a lawsuit. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/36tkebJAnA

— FatMan (@FatManTerra) July 1, 2022

Beef with pleasant aftertaste: ZachXBT

Neuner has had a wild ride with crypto scam investigator ZachXBT but admits that he is still a fan of him at the end of the day.

Even in my worst times of being attacked by ZachXBT, I believe the service that ZachXBT does is a really valuable service in the community, Neuner declares.

Neuner explains that he ended up in a mediation process with ZachXBT after the investigator accused him of pumping and dumping on his followers. Neuner was considering suing because of the damage he sustained.

In the mediation, we showed him his tweets and allegations were wrong, and he was man enough to write a thread about it saying he is wrong.

Last year I posted a threadabout @cryptomanran @crypto_banter.

Shortly after they engaged with me to highlight inaccuracies in the thread and to work together on setting a new standard for their business and the space.

— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) February 3, 2023

What type of content do you do?

Most of his content is crypto-related and occasional veers into financial advice:

Get your funds out of FTX. This is financial advice.

— Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) November 6, 2022

90% of my tweets are crypto-related, Neuner explains, adding that the other 10% is complaining about bad culture.

I have a passion for good service. I have a complete dislike for getting bad service. So, I hate flying on any type of American airline. They dont want your business.

Just a quick reminder that the @HiltonHotels in Austin is the worst hotel in the USA by far. I think Im actually going to move out of here today! What a dump!

Anyone have a good hotel suggestion in Austin?

— Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) June 10, 2022

What content do you like?

Neuner explains he much prefers to follow people whom he disagrees with.

The more people you hate on your Twitter feed, the better your experience will be. This is because Twitter becomes an echo chamber, and markets love echo chambers. Surround yourself with people you dont agree with they will show you why you dont agree with them.

Adam Cochran and Cory Klippsten are a couple of good examples. Cochran is a neurotic, hysterical person who acts like everything is the end of the world.

Neuner cant stand reading his tweets but forces himself to anyway. Klippsten, meanwhile, seems to think he is the chief Bitcoiner.

He genuinely believes that he is the CEO of Bitcoin and has more of a share of Bitcoin than anyone else. I listen to him to understand what the Bitcoin Maxis are thinking.

I see you Klippsten. Im no noob. Ive been around for long enough to know youre a scammer. pic.twitter.com/sUhsFWA91v

— Ran Neuner (@cryptomanran) January 12, 2023

But there are accounts he follows for useful and insightful market commentary.

If I want on-chain analysis, Ill go to Dylan LeClair or Will Clemente, Neuner says.

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Predictions?

Neuner thinks that the raging bull markets era is finished, blaming it on regulatory uncertainty.

There is less money in because of regulation uncertainty, [so the next bull run] will not be as violent. We will have a slow, sustained market, he says.

He hints that it might be wise to keep a close eye on Solana, Aptos, Sui and Ethereum as potential game changers. Its probably going to be one of them, he says.

If I was going to put my money on one of them, Id say Sui over Aptos. I think technically, the people working there are better.

Neuner explains the whole space is still waiting for that one killer application to get mass adoption for blockchain.

If we get an app where we get 500 million retail people not knowing it is on a blockchain, whatever app that blockchain is written on, is going to fly to the moon, he predicts.

That could be the moment where overnight we see one go from $29 to $290, Neuner adds.

Real reason for China’s war on crypto, 3AC judge’s embarrassing mistake: Asia Express

Sources reveal the real reason China is ramping up efforts to stamp out Bitcoin and crypto. And a year’s worth of 3AC court orders nixed.

Our weekly roundup of news from East Asia curates the industrys most important developments.

On Aug. 11, a Chinese individual known only as Mr. Chen was sentenced to nine months in prison after helping his friend, Mr. Lin, purchase 94,988 Chinese yuan ($13,104) worth of Tether (USDT) and earning a commission of 147.1 Yuan ($20.24).

Because Mr. Chen shared his personal bank information for the peer-to-peer fiat-to-crypto transaction, Chinese authorities considered the act to be money laundering and imposed a harsh sentence.

Chinese judge explains why the Bitcoin lending contract was invalid and therefore denied relief for breach of contract. — *Chinese judge explains in a prior case why a Bitcoin lending agreement was legally invalid even in the event of a breach of contract. (Jstv)*

Officially, Chinese authorities attribute the tough-on-crypto approach to a spree of data theft and the use of crypto to launder proceeds of crime. However, sources tell Cointelegraph that the crackdown is more related to the countrys stringent capital control rules, where Chinese nationals are prohibited from buying more than $50,000 worth of foreign currencies each year without a state permit. The same applies to large-sum Chinese yuan transactions with foreign banks.

The capital controls had been almost complete until the advent of crypto, sources say. The problem is further exasperated by a looming recession in China, making senior government officials wary of further money moving out of the country.

In July, Jingmen municipal police were tipped off about an online poker platform operating in the city. Raiding the offices, police discovered the group had “laundered” over 400 billion Chinese yuan ($54.93 billion) worth of gambling funds using cryptocurrencies and involving over 50,000 individuals.

However, the underlying criminal act that resulted in the tainted money was never mentioned. Unlike other jurisdictions, the act of gambling itself and the transfer of currencies abroad without applicable permits are deemed to be illicit activities. According to user reports, fiat-to-crypto transactions stemming as far back as 2021 are currently being audited by special police task forces.”

Crypto projects and their Chinese founders are also disappearing at an alarming rate. The well-known Multichain incident aside, in May, employees of Chinese offshore yuan stablecoin issuer CNHC were detained by police following an office raid. They have not been heard from since. Commenting on the story, Wuwei Liang, a former employee of defunct crypto exchange CoinXP, claimed:

“Suddenly, despite there being no complainants nor victims, the Wuxi police who came to Beijing from across the province took away all the members of the CoinXP team of China’s domestic blockchain entrepreneurial team.”

Liang further alleged that Chinese police would resort to “intimidation” to force a confession and the surrender of a projects private key. Armed with this as “evidence” police then charge the co-founder with “fraud and multilevel marketing,” bringing about a sham trial where the accused is convicted, resulting in the seizure of enterprise and user funds alike. (These allegations have not been proven in court.) We reported earlier on allegations of intimidation, detention, and even suggestions of the “kidnapping” of the defense counsel at the ongoing CoinXP trial.

CBDC printer goes brrrr

Don’t misinterpret the Chinese government, however; they are quite fond of blockchain, so long as they are the ones in charge.

In the interest of revitalizing Chinas ailing economy via consumer spending, government officials have recognized the role of the Chinese yuan central bank digital currency and made its adoption a political priority. On July 27, the city of Suqian airdropped 20 million ($2.75 million) of digital yuan shopping vouchers to residents.

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This was followed by a 10 million ($1.37 million) digital yuan food voucher airdrop by the city of Hangzhou, a 40 million ($5.49 million) digital yuan airdrop by the city of Shaoxing, a 30 million ($4.12 million) digital yuan airdrop by the city of Jianyang, and a 3 million ($0.412 million) digital yuan airdrop by the city of Ningbo, all within less than two weeks. At one test site in Chengdu, Chinas largest food delivery platform, Meituan, reported a 65.5% daily increase in the number of digital yuan transactions on its platform.

So there are definitely real-world results to help revitalize the economy something desperately needed right now. On Aug. 15, China announced it would stop reporting its youth unemployment figures after the metric reached a record 21.3% in June. Perhaps we can expect the (blockchain) printer to go brrr in the months ahead?

Chinese president Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (CCTV) — *Chinese President Xi Jinping explains during the Shanghai Cooperation Summit why ‘”friendly nations” such as Belarus and Iran should develop their own CBDCs. (CCTV)*

3AC creditors suffer humiliating defeat

Lawsuits can be tough, especially when it comes to matters such as liquidating a $3.5 billion Singaporean hedge fund through multi-jurisdictional litigation. This is why a high level of competency is generally required for the attorneys who take part in such proceedings.

And so, creditors of Three Arrows Capital (3AC) were dealt a significant setback on Aug. 11, when United States Bankruptcy Judge Martin Glenn said civil contempt rulings against 3AC co-founder Kyle Davies were invalid.

Judge Glenn explained that the subpoenas issued by law firm Teneo on behalf of creditors to Davies via Twitter starting in December were made on the basis that Davies held U.S. citizenship. However, it emerged earlier this month that Davies renounced his U.S. citizenship to acquire Singaporean citizenship a few years prior.

“Because Mr. Davies’ United States citizenship was a prerequisite for valid service on him in the manner effected, he was not properly served with the subpoena issued by this Court.”

As a result, the U.S. court could not exercise jurisdiction against Davies, with Judge Glenn suggesting that creditors attorneys bring a motion to a Singaporean court to compel Davies’ compliance instead. It has been over a year since 3AC filed for bankruptcy.

In other words, after one years time, creditors have just found out that the jurisdiction where they filed to claim debtors assets had no jurisdiction over the debtors. 3AC co-founder Zhu Su, by the way, also has Singaporean citizenship and cannot be compelled by U.S. courts on this matter.

In a post to followers, Su Zhu bids his audience good morning and asks for — *3AC co-founders Kyle Davies (left) and Su Zhu (right). (X/Twitter)*

Now dont get me wrong, everyone makes mistakes, but often trivial mistakes have trivial consequences. Unfortunately, that wasnt the case here. Since the inception of proceedings, 3AC creditors have reportedly spent millions in legal fees, with some estimates going as high as $30 million. The proceedings have so far led to the recovery of several nonfungible tokens (NFTs) owned by 3AC, which were sold at two Sothebys auctions for a combined … $13.4 million.

In the last week, the liquidators of 3AC have spent millions in legal fees to find out:

(1) Kyle Davies is not a US citizen
(2) 3AC and DeFiance Capital operate out of Singapore

Both nuggets of infomation are available on a document you can purchase for SGD 5.50. https://t.co/HZK5JjUFKS

— wassielawyer (@wassielawyer) August 15, 2023

In another setback, a Singaporean court ruled on Aug. 15 that the city-state would be the convenient forum for hearing 3AC creditors $140 million dispute with DeFiance Capital, and not the British Virgin Islands as suggested by Teneo. 3AC creditors allege that funds held with DeFiance Capital belong in the estate of 3AC, while DeFinance Capital says that its assets belong to its independent investors. Commenting on the double whammy, Su Zhu wrote:

“As the current acting liquidator for 3AC, we believe Teneo is repeatedly overreaching in their attempt to seize other investors’ funds. Even on a technical and legalistic approach, the DC [DeFiance Capital] and SNC assets rightfully belong to the feeder funds of 3AC,”

But in the overall context, winning a battle is easy; winning a war is difficult. On Aug. 16, Dubai regulators reminded Davies and Zhu that their new OPNX exchange for trading crypto bankruptcy claims remains unregistered in the Emirate and, correspondingly, faces a 10 million Dirham ($2.72 million) penalty for operating without a proper license.

Unlike in the U.S., Davies and Zhu actually own assets in the UAE vulnerable to seizure, including Davies prized chicken restaurant. Whether the co-founders can really keep their assets sheltered from the path of angry creditors (and regulators alike) remains to be seen.

Just before we published Asia Express, 3AC liquidators filed a committal order against Zhu Su in the court of Singapore.

Crypto games need EVO-style viral moment, Nitro Nation review: Web3 Gamer

Blockchain games desperately need a viral moment to succeed, Cut The Rope in The Sandbox, Axie and Aelph hand out cash, Nitro Nation hot take.

Blockchain gaming needs its own EVO Moment 37?

While the Web3 gaming ecosystem is still trying to find its footing in the mainstream gaming world, a key element missing from almost all the Web3 titles is inspiration. To achieve a broader audience, Web3 gaming needs a wow moment to go viral and into the records of gaming history.

Web3 gaming studios are falling into the same trap that many of their traditional predecessors fell into: Better visuals, more rewards and a larger cast of characters. Sure, these are some vital elements of the gaming experience, but in order to expand a whole ecosystem, developers need to think beyond that.

With Street Fighter 6 just released and Mortal Kombat 1 on the horizon, its safe to say that the fighting games are having a big comeback. But lets remember the exact moment that showed players worldwide the joy of fighting games for the first time: The EVO Moment 37.

In 2004, during the golden years of home consoles, the fighting game-focused tournament EVO saw a magical moment where two legendary players competed with each other and one of them Daigo Umehara pulled a move that was then considered impossible. YouTube was not a thing back then, so that moment was captured by the official DVD that was released the following year. It was named Evo Moment 37 and became a major trigger for wide audiences to take fighting games seriously.

Web3 gaming needs that. Web3 studios need to add inspiration, wow moment potential and an aspect of virality to their products. It will be a tough road to gain the interest of mainstream audiences until then.

Om Nom enters the metaverse

Games like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and Cut the Rope assumed the role of catalyzers during the dawn of mobile gaming: They catapulted smartphones and tablets to the hands of a mainstream audience with vivid visuals, cute characters and intuitive gameplays that used then-groundbreaking frictionless touch screen in innovative ways. Thats why ZeptoLab partnering with The Sandbox to bring Om Nom the green monster from the Cut the Rope franchise to Web3 is big news for old schoolers.

Cut The Rope and The Sandbox collaborate to bring Om Nom to the metaverse. — *Cut the Rope is coming to The Sandbox. (The Sandbox)*

Players will have a chance to explore a virtual world inspired by the franchise in Om Noms Social Hub. The event will host familiar characters from Cut the Rope with the end goal of discovering Om Noms origin story.

Immerse yourself in a @Cut_The_Rope-inspired amusement park! Find candies, balloons, and quests that reveal the Om Nom universe!

Jump into this sweet and whimsical world! @ZeptoLab pic.twitter.com/jJwRBWjt2K

— The Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) August 10, 2023

ZeptoLab business development director Kristina Truvaleva says bringing the classic title to the metaverse will give players a feeling that they have been transported into a whole new world permeated with nostalgia but full of fresh challenges.

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The virtual world went live on Aug. 10. Players who complete all quests and requirements will have a chance to share a pool of 120,000 SAND. A real-life prize called Om Noms Money Box will also be sent to 1:1 avatar holders that pass all of Om Noms Social Hub quests.

Axie builders get the Greenlight

Axie Infinity creator Sky Mavis recently introduced Mavis Hub: Greenlight, a program for developers to share their early game builds with the community. The program allows players to playtest and includes a voting system that lets the community vote on the games they are most excited about, driving competition between developers.

Were thrilled to introduce Mavis Hub: Greenlight a new initiative that will increase the number of Axie games on the Mavis Hub by adding a way for the community to vote on their favorite up-and-coming Axie Builders Program games.

Play and vote for new Axie games on pic.twitter.com/VZC2whO0Xs

— Axie Infinity (@AxieInfinity) August 8, 2023

The games must be at the playable beta stage to be eligible for the program, meaning the core game loop should be complete and provide at least one complete game session. Successful games on Greenlight may receive extra support, such as additional grants and user acquisition budgets for soft launches.

The program echoes similar exercises in Web2 gaming, like the now-defunct Steam Greenlight, which has been turned into Steam Direct. They streamline the process for developers and provide valuable feedback from the community, driving engagement as players decide who stays and who goes.

Axie Infinity creator Sky Mavis launched Mavis Hub: Greenlight — *Players can vote for games they like using Mavis Hub: Greenlight. (Axie Infinity Blog)*

Interested players can try out two debut games on Greenlight called Mini Tri-Force and Culinary Wars. In the former, the player tries to save their Axie clan in a poisoned forest by combatting youkai ghosts in Japanese folklore. The latter is a co-op cooking game that heavily resembles Overcooked, where players take the role of chefs and make haste to fulfill orders in a short amount of time often resulting in chaos.

Mavis Hub: Greenlight has been launched on the Mavis Hub Desktop App, while a web-based version is also in the works.

$150K inducements to join the dark side

Layer-1 blockchain network Aelf launched its Aelevate program, dangling the offer of up to $150,000 per Web2 studio to help developers transition to blockchain technology and create games on the Aelf network.

Calling all game studios & developers! Aelevate program is now open, offering up to US$150K grants per studio.

aelevate will help Web2 games transit to Web3 through blockchain tech and business support guidance. Apply by 30 Sep 2023 https://t.co/bFkv0FHFzV pic.twitter.com/m7XxYtQZd8

— lf (@aelfblockchain) August 9, 2023

The companys track record so far lacks any gaming ventures, but Aelf aims to break into the gaming world with this program. Considering the blockchain gaming market is projected to be over $60 billion by 2027 nearly 15 times its $4.6 billion market size from 2022 Aelfs enthusiasm is understandable.

“Our goal is to break the daunting barriers studios face in integrating blockchain technology into their games, particularly in the current uncertain and challenging crypto climate, said Tavia Wong, head of commercial at Aelf, adding:

Through Aelevate, we are pledging our support for the Web3 gaming space as we provide crucial infrastructural support and expert industry guidance for our participants to thrive and succeed in this new Web3 frontier.

Aelf presents its suite of decentralized applications to successful applicants, streamlining the blockchain transition process with asset integration, token creation and the development of smart contracts. The program also assists the business side of Web3 with mentorships, market strategies and fundraising opportunities.

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The program applications are open until Sept. 30, with the first round of grants scheduled to be awarded in October.

Hot Take Nitro Nation: World Tour

Mythical Games Nitro Nation: World Tour is a free Web3 drag racing game on mobile and is a great option to blow off a long days steam. It combines simple gameplay mechanics with beautiful graphics for a mobile game, of course.

The controls are straightforward to grasp, as there are only two buttons. The first is the gas button which is used to keep the indicator in the green zone at the beginning of the race. As the race starts, this button turns into the “Gear Shift” button, which should be pressed when the indicator is in the green zone to keep a steady pace. The second is the nitro button, which gives the car a little boost.

Gameplay from Nitro Nation World Tour — *Nitro Nation: World Tour gameplay. (Nitro Nation: World Tour)*

Players can upgrade and tune their cars to have an edge on the streets. The game also provides a wide range of customization options that can be bought using the in-game currency and boasts a vast roster of fully licensed cars ranging from Subarus and Mazdas to Aston Martins and Paganis.

Nitro Nation World Tour Licensed Car Brands — *Licensed car brands in Nitro Nation: World Tour. (Nitro Nation: World Tour)*

Web3 elements come into play as NFT cars, which can be dropped from purchasable car packs or directly bought from and sold on the marketplace. The NFT cars come pre-tuned and with better stats. The game is perfectly playable without NFT cars, so mainstream free-to-play (F2P) players arent forced into these Web3 elements. Nitro Nation: World Tour offers simpler gameplay than your usual Forzas and Need for Speeds but manages to keep it fun. If you are into cars, racing or NFTs, consider trying out Nitro Nation: World Tour.

More from crypto gaming space:

Bandai Namco, the world-renowned publisher of Dark Souls and Tekken games, collaborated with blockchain network Oasys and startup Attructure to unveil an AI-enhanced virtual pet game that features NFT-based digital creatures.

Amazon Prime Gaming partnered up with Web3 auto chess game Mojo Melee to offer free exclusive drops to Amazon Prime members.

Web3 Mahjong game Mahjong Meta went live after its two-month-long open beta phase.

nWays mech fighting game Wreck League collaborates with Yuga Labs to host Yuga-themed mech NFTs.

NFT-based open-world social MMO game Dininho released on Arbitrum.

Big Questions: Did the NSA create Bitcoin?

Is Bitcoin the biggest intel honeypot in history? A former NSA agent says “they absolutely have the capability” but others ridicule the idea.

Over the 15 years since Bitcoin was created, there has been no shortage of crazy conspiracy theories about how it was made and where it came from.

Some believe Bitcoin was the work of a bunch of engineers in the Chinese Communist Party presumably for world domination; others claim Bitcoin is the work of benevolent aliens to help humans evolve.

But one theory with circumstantial evidence supporting it has persisted over the years and it involves one of Americas most secretive intelligence-gathering agencies.

Theres a small sect of Bitcoiners that believes Satoshi Nakamoto the creator of Bitcoin is, in fact, the United States National Security Agency in disguise.

Many more, of course, think the idea is ridiculous and point out there’s no absolutely no solid evidence to support it.

But where does the theory stem from? Well, one only needs to look into Bitcoins source code.

Its in the code

What makes Bitcoin so secure lies in its use of Secure Hash Algorithm 256, or SHA-256 (read as sha), which is used for everything from deriving transaction IDs and block hashes to addresses and Merkle trees.

Put simply, its a mathematical formula that garbles data into a string of seemingly random text, and its why Bitcoin is basically impossible to crack.

Well, it just so happens that this algorithm is the direct work of Glenn M. Lilly, a mathematician who, under the direction of the NSA, designed and eventually published the algorithm in 2001. Lilly later became the NSAs chief of mathematics research.

The NSA was also one of the first organizations to describe a Bitcoin-like system in a 1996 paper titled How To Make A Mint: The Cryptography Of Anonymous Electronic Cash.

In the paper, the authors proposed a system that uses public-key cryptography to allow users to make anonymous payments without revealing their identity.

*The NSAs 1996 plan to create anonymous electronic cash. (archive.org)*

Satoshi Nakamoto is code for the CIA?

Of course, some Bitcoiners don’t think the NSA invented Bitcoin…. they reckon it was the Central Intelligence Agency.

The name of Bitcoins pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, can be interpreted as a reference to the U.S. spy agency. Nakamoto, loosely translated from Japanese, means central, while the name Satoshi means intelligent.

Speaking of Satoshi, their identity has never been uncovered, prompting some to believe they are likely to have had some form of intelligence training.

In an interview with Impact Theorys Tom Bilyeu in June, former Goldman Sachs executive and Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal revealed hes believed for years that Bitcoin could be the result of the NSA and the United Kingdoms government experimenting with potential ways to get out of future potential financial disasters.

I dont think its a coincidence it came out in the financial crisis. I dont think its a coincidence that the halving cycle and all of this is all related.

Finally they're saying it…but it's not Bitcoin and never was.(Remember guys like him are the same ones that have been shouting Bitcoin and Ethereum for years. Why is he just now admitting he's known this all along?) pic.twitter.com/4nFlUN45N6

— Digital Asset Investor.XRP (@digitalassetbuy) June 9, 2023

So, did the NSA create Bitcoin?

Jeff Man, a former NSA cryptanalyst, tells Magazine that its feasible that the NSA could have created Bitcoin as a means to gather intelligence about its enemies, but is doubtful.

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Man joined the NSA in 1986 at the tail end of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. At the time, the NSA was hiring around 100 people a week to fill roles in critical skills, including engineering, mathematics and computer science, he says.

One of the NSAs main missions is to gather signals (or communications) intelligence necessary for the countrys defense. This became an even higher priority following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the World Trade Center.

WTC — *Plumes of smoke billow from the World Trade Center towers. (Michael Foran, CC BY 2.0, Wikicommons)*

Asked about whether Bitcoin could have been created to gather intelligence about foreign agents and powers, Man said the agency certainly had the resources to do so.

Its certainly a possibility. Its certainly feasible, says Man.

Its not outside of the realm of possibility that there would be a concerted effort to set up something like this.

However, Man has strong doubts about it, based on his experience at the agency. He notes that one of the outcomes of the Watergate scandal in 1972 put a congressional spotlight on Americas three-letter agencies, which were found spying on American citizens without proper warrants.

#Spystuff! The NSA's headquarters, known as the “Crypto City,” spans an impressive 2.6 million square feet! It houses cutting-edge technology, top-notch analysts, and a vast intelligence library. Talk about a fortress of knowledge and innovation. pic.twitter.com/Sg2isODJXy

— Robert Morton (@Robert4787) June 6, 2023

Man believes, at least based on his years at the NSA, that the agency had since been very cautious not to breach its charter and that devising Bitcoin could be seen as spying on its own citizens.

Historically, in my experience, NSA takes very seriously its charter to only do what NSA does to foreigners, and not U.S. citizens.

Because it would be hard to prove or disprove perhaps who the targets were, or who were the potential targets. It would be hard to say definitively: We did not do any of this capability we did not set it up and target any U.S. citizens. That makes me doubt that it happened.

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Man, however, noted that he left the agency back in 1996 and conceded that the 2001 terror attacks and the subsequent Patriot Act may have changed this.

The Edward Snowden leaks in 2013 alleged the NSA had been gathering data on domestic internet communications without the proper warrants, an idea the U.S. government has denied.

No, the whole idea is silly

Of course, most Bitcoiners completely dismiss the idea the NSA invented Bitcoin.

While SHA-256 is used in Bitcoin, it also just happens to be one of the most widely used hash algorithms, making its presence in anything from digital signatures to password authentication.

The fact it was made public in 2001 means that everyone had access to it long before Bitcoin was invented. And no one has ever identified a secret backdoor into the SHA-256 algorithm or suggested a credible way it could be cracked.

They also patented SHA256 under a royalty-free license.

— Alex Waltz (@raw_avocado) June 30, 2021

Silicon Angles Mellisa Tolentino addressed the notion that Satoshi Nakamoto could be a veiled reference to “Central Intelligence”, writing that the argument is not very compelling. Satoshi Nakamoto is a fairly common Japanese name, and spy agencies don’t tend to leave easter eggs calling attention to the fact theyre involved.

Would the NSA really have given the creator of its secret project such an obvious name? If the NSA really is behind Bitcoin, naming it Central Intelligence would not be a very intelligent move.

Others have argued that Bitcoins first proof-of-concept software was more of a clever patchwork of old cryptography algorithms, which wouldnt be something an organized intelligence behemoth would come up with.

And the idea that Nakamoto must have intelligence-training credentials, given that he has remained anonymous all these years also falls apart the closer you look at it.

It ignores the fact that thousands (if not millions) of people manage to remain anonymous online everyday, Ian DeMartino wrote in a Cointelegraph editorial.

I have had internet friends that I talked to for years, on message boards and elsewhere, without ever meeting or talking on the phone. I suspect many reading this have had similar experiences. I don’t suspect all of them are CIA agents.

Will we ever find out if the NSA invented Bitcoin?

It seems unlikely well ever know for certain whether the NSA was involved in Bitcoin, at least not in our lifetime, says Man.

You will never get the answer to that definitively until it doesnt matter anymore.

If its this honeypot type of scenario, where its a resource for information […] and its still providing results and information, youre never going to get the definitive answer, he adds.

Every time someone non-ironically calls me a “Spook,” I remind them that #Bitcoin runs on NSA encryption and that “Satoshi Nakamoto” means “central intelligence.” The response is usually thishttps://t.co/0HPSh4v2KY pic.twitter.com/Kr2sHbm2gh

— Jason Lowery (@JasonPLowery) April 30, 2023

Grails’ lucky dip of famous NFT artists, new hope for PFP holders: NFT Collector

Pudgy Penguins CEO reveals why PFT holders aren’t doomed, Grails offers a blind tasting to buy famous NFT artists, and free Amazon Prime NFTs.

Grails by PROOF Season IV

Collecting art is historically not just about the art itself but who the artist is and the story behind the piece. The emergence of NFTs as a way to attribute provenance to digital objects has seen an explosion of interest in the past few years, even if thats currently seeing something of a lull.

The work of artists like Alotta Money, Josie Bellini, Trevor Jones, Coldie, Snowfro, Beeple, and collections such as Fidenzas and Ringers, show that digital art is here to stay, even as many pockets of the NFT space are reportedly down 95% from all-time highs.

But with the artists playing such an important role in the market, its been intriguing to see Grails by PROOF flip this paradigm on its head by abstracting away who the artist is. A gamification mechanic reveals between 2025 pieces of art to 1,000 whitelisted collectors prior to a minting window but the catch is no one knows who the artists are behind each respective piece.

This creates a special dynamic that introduces a different type of speculation about who the artist could be behind each work. Some collectors mint a piece they like purely based on their assessment of the art itself, while others take a punt on their ability to guess who the artist might be behind.

*Protoglyph by Larva Labs from Season 1 Grails. (OpenSea)*

Grails was the brainchild of PROOF co-founder Kevin Rose, with the inaugural season launched in February 2022 and the first-ever reveal on March 6, 2022. Eli Scheinman, head of art at PROOF, explains the concept aims:

To engage collectors in a way that abstracted away some of the financialization of collecting NFTs that was, and still is, in many ways so rampant. By taking away an artists name, it really demanded or challenged all of the collectors to really go deep and spend a lot of time with each of these artworks.

GRAILS IV. Coming Soon.

Choose Wisely. pic.twitter.com/2GhIK6obKt

— PROOF (,) (@proof_xyz) July 18, 2023

The three seasons so far have attracted some of the biggest names in NFT land, including Snowfro, Larva Labs, Tyler Hobbs, Claire Silver, Dmitri Cherniak, Deafbeef, Emily Xie, Justin Aversano, Alpha Centauri Kid, Josie Bellini and Matt Kane. Plus, names that are lesser known for their art but have celebrity status and are involved with the NFT space, like Gary Vaynerchuk, Alexis Ohanian and Tim Ferriss.

Her by Josie Bellini (Source: OpenSea) — *Her by Josie Bellini (OpenSea)*

Curtain coming up on Season IV

Season IV (4) of Grails is set for reveal on Aug. 11, with Scheinman continuing to experiment with the mechanics and double down on the storytelling and production value of the reveal.

We try to maintain that sense of it being special and unique, so that means were constantly trying to iterate and improve the experience in new ways, Scheinman says, explaining that season three had introduced the notion of a series, enabling a single artist to contribute multiple unique pieces as part of a collection.

In season four, were taking that a step further in that three of the five series that are in this exhibition are true long-form generative projects using the Art Blocks engine. Those outputs, when minted, are really generated live in that moment. Whereas in the past, these were pre-curated outputs, meaning an artist would provide us with the files ahead of time, and then we would distribute those on mint.

Grails IV alpha:

– 20 artists
– No repeat artists from past seasons
– 6 Art Blocks Curated artists
– 3 long-form generative collections w/ @ArtBlocksEngine
– 1 genesis NFT
– 1 NFT will interact w/ a secret adjacent contract

Mint passes go live tomorrow.

— Eli Scheinman (@eli_schein) August 1, 2023

I think storytelling is fundamental to connecting through a piece of artwork, and the way that we do Grails, for example, is really this fun way of playing with that notion in that you go from zero context to 100% context.

Watch previous Grails reveals: Season 1 / Season 2 / Season 3

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Whats hot in NFT art markets

Notable sales came from Autoglyphs, Alpha Centauri Kid and Drifter Shoots.

We also saw Chinese contemporary artist Yue Minjun release his first NFT collection titled Kingdom of the Laughing Man. The 999 pieces minted for between 0.350.39 ETH and now sit at a 0.55 ETH floor on OpenSea.

Autoglyph #511 by Larva Labs sold for 190 ETH ($347,288). (OpenSea)

Where my Vans Go #30 — Autoglyph #511 by Larva Labs sold for 190 ETH ($347,288). (OpenSea)

*Creation by Alpha Centauri Kid sold for 23.69 ETH ($44,400). (OpenSea)*

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Luca Netz claps back at idea PFP holders are doomed

Deep into an NFT bear market where volumes have tested new 12-month lows, the question that persistently gets asked by PFP collections holders is, How does this drive value back to holders?

Luca Netz, CEO of Pudgy Penguins, clapped back at a tweet suggesting PFP holders have no stake in the enterprise and outlined why he believes PFP holders are not doomed if they pick the right project. Netz explained that building a globally recognized brand is the best path to accruing value for the NFT holder.

NFT Value Accrual Funnel — *NFT value accrual funnel laid out by Luca Netz (X (Twitter))*

Brands that are striving to build household IP, such as Pudgy Penguins, VeeFriends and Doodles, all are diversifying their brand offerings, including real-world offerings, ensuring their IP has many more touch points outside of the NFT ecosystem.

From VeeFriends physical collector cards and multiple collaborations, including their recent announcement with Reebok for physical sneakers, to Doodles last week announcing its partnership with Crocs, to Pudgy Penguins showing up at Comic Con in San Diego in July.

Having holders to appease can be both a gift and a curse, but some founders are navigating this terrain better than others; Netz is one of those. The serial entrepreneur, who has done over $500 million in consumer packaged goods sales, took over the Pudgy project after issues with the original founding team and has arguably threaded the needle better than others.

It still remains to be seen how Netzs masterplan plays out, but this well-thought-out thread articulates a future that many NFT collectors could get behind, validated by the 1,000+ bookmarks the thread already has.

Amazon Prime dips its toe into the Web3 gaming waters with Mojo Melee

In a small preview of what is to come, Amazon Prime has partnered with Mojo Melee to give away NFTs for its Prime subscribers.

The auto battler game is built on Polygon and played via web browsers and Android devices. The offer for Prime subscribers is set to expire in just under three weeks.

@Weareplanetmojo Welcomes @AmazonPrimeMembers!

1st FREE offer includes:
-Gwyn Rockhopper Digital Collectible
-850 ORE

The adventure begins NOW.
Come & Get It!

https://t.co/9Dvzk8CAaT pic.twitter.com/OZbuXUoEed

— Planet Mojo | Mojo Melee SEASON TWO is LIVE! (@WeArePlanetMojo) August 2, 2023

Tweet of the week

onchain art
onchain culture
onchain music
onchain collectibles
onchain fashion
onchain entertainment
onchain memes
onchain media

— FLAMINGO (@FLAMINGODAO) August 3, 2023

AI Eye: Apple developing pocket AI, deep fake music deal, hypnotizing GPT-4

Apple developing AI to run locally on your phone, researchers ‘hypnotize’ GPT-4 to turn it evil, and Google negotiates a deep fake music deal.

Apple wants to put an AI in your pocket

Apple has been playing its cards close to its chest when it comes to AI. While rival Microsoft has jumped on the ChatGPT bandwagon and is integrating AI into everything despite the bugs and hallucinations, the acronym didnt even get a mention at Apples Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Reports emerged in July, however, that Apple was working on its own generative AI tool, dubbed internally “Apple GPT,” which uses a large language model (LLM) framework called Ajax. On this weeks quarterly earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said Apple was enthusiastic about the technology and has incorporated AI into forthcoming iOS17 features like Personal Voice (voice cloning and text-to-speech) and Live Voicemail (live transcription). He added:

“Weve been doing research across a wide range of AI technologies, including generative AI, for years. Were going to continue investing and innovating and responsibly advancing our products with these technologies, with the goal of enriching peoples lives. Thats what its all about for us. As you know, we tend to announce things as they come to market, thats our M.O., and Id like to stick to that.”

Of course, what everyday users want to know is whether Siri will be getting an AI upgrade. And they certainly appear to be working on it, with the Financial Times reporting that Apple is hiring dozens of researchers and engineers to work on compressing existing language models so they can run efficiently on mobile devices, rather than in the cloud.” The ads indicated the company is fully focused on bringing LLM technology to mobiles.

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There are speed, privacy and security reasons to run the AI locally on the phone hardware rather than in the cloud, given concerns over OpenAI and Claude hoovering up all your personal and business data. Back in 2020, Apple spent $200 million snapping up Seattle startup Xnor, which focuses on this exact problem.

*Apples Personal Voice is coming in iOS17. (Apple)*

Passwords even more useless due to AI

Even prior to the advent of AI, computing technology had progressed to the point where the average eight-character password using a combination of numbers, upper and lower case letters and a special character as recommended could be cracked in around five minutes. New research indicates that AI password crackers like PassGAN can crack more than half of all commonly used passwords in less than a minute.

Now it turns out that AI can work out your password with greater than 90% accuracy, purely from the sound of you typing. Given that almost everyone types within earshot of a computer or phone mic, thats a pretty big exploitable area, especially if you log in to a site while on a Zoom call (93% accuracy.)

The tech isn’t quite as good when users touch type or use the shift key, but its even clearer that passwords alone without 2FA need to be consigned to the bin of history.

AI password crack — *Passwords are increasingly obsolete (Home Security Heroes)*

Google and Universal negotiate deal on music deep fakes

Johnny Cashs fake version of “Barbie Girl” and Frank Sinatra riffing on a big band take of “Gangsta’s Paradise” are a couple of the more amusing AI deep fakes out there. This has provoked alarm from artists, including Drake and Sting, who are understandably concerned at their unique vocals and music styles being ripped off.

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In response, Google has reportedly entered negotiations with Universal Music to create a tool for fans to create their own legitimate deep fakes of popular artists with a fee going back to the copyright holders. Artists would have the ability to opt in or opt out of the system. Google is trying to strike a similar deal with Warner Music, whose CEO, Robert Kyncl, enthused to investors this week that with the right framework, AI could enable fans to pay their heroes the ultimate compliment through a new level of user-driven content…including new cover versions and mash-ups.

Some artists have embraced AI technology, with Grimes offering a 50/50 split of proceeds to AI producers and Paul McCartney using AI to improve John Lennons rough demo vocals for the final Beatles track, which was abandoned due to poor quality in the 90s.

Disneys AI task force

Hollywood writers and actors strike be damned! Disney has created an artificial intelligence task force to study how AI can be used across the entertainment behemoth. There are 11 current job openings across its theme parks, TV and advertising divisions.

While creatives see AI as a threat, a Disney insider says the company believes the bigger threat is not adapting to the new landscape in order to bring budgets down now topping $300 million for tentpole releases like Indiana Jones. Apart from bringing down the costs of special effects with generative AI, a theme park imagineer told Reuters that AI can make the companys robots more lifelike, pointing to Project KIWI, which used machine learning technique to give a free-roaming Baby Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy personality and character movements.

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Disneys Project KIWI has built a Groot #robot pic.twitter.com/2OnZ2rnb8I

— Ulrike Franke (@RikeFranke) April 24, 2021

Researchers ‘hypnotize’ GPT-4 to con other users

Disturbing research from IBM suggests that GPT-4 can be tricked into manipulating users. The researchers have shown that GPT-4 can be “hypnotized to take part in multi-layered Inception-type games that saw the models “leaking confidential financial information, generating malicious code, encouraging users to pay ransoms, and even advising drivers to plow through red lights,” according to Gizmodo.

Even if users figured out one of the “games” the LLM was playing, the researchers had created multiple other “games” the user would fall into. Bard is apparently more difficult to manipulate than GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.

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All Killer No Filler AI news

Nvidia has just unveiled its GH200 super chip, which has 141GB of next-gen memory, three times the capacity of its popular H100 GPU. Nvidia says the cost of powering LLMs will drop significantly

A new preprint from former Amazon AI researcher Konstantine Arkoudas analyzed GPT-4s responses to 21 reasoning problems and concluded that: Despite occasional flashes of analytical brilliance, GPT-4 at present is utterly incapable of reasoning.”

Spotifys AI feature DJ which recommends new artists and tracks and tells you why you should give them a go is being rolled out to 50 countries this week. Users of the beta so far have spent around one-third of their listening time using DJ.

Goldman Sachs predicts that AI investments will soar to $200 billion globally by 2025, accounting for 4% of U.S. gross domestic product and around 2.5% of the GDP of other nations. One in six companies mentioned AI on recent earnings calls.

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Morgan Stanley is looking into concerns over an AI stock bubble, highlighting that previous bubbles had seen three-year peak returns of 150%. While AI stock darling Nvidia is up by 200% this year alone, broader AI indexes are only up by 50%.

Researchers at Harvard and the University of Washington found that crowdsourcing business ideas from humans produced much more novel ideas than GPT-4, while prompting those same ideas from the AI produced ideas with better environmental and financial value. They concluded the best way forward may be an integrative human-AI approach to problem-solving.”

Nobody trusts AI with company data, according to a Blackberry survey of 2,000 company IT chiefs, which found three quarters are either implementing or considering bans on ChatGPT and other LLMs for data security, privacy and corporate reputation reasons. However, a McKinsey survey found that only 21% of organizations have implemented any policies on generative AI so far.

Video of the week

Redditor SellowYubmarine posted this AI-generated trailer” for a Magic 8 horror film to the Singularity subreddit. While it highlights that a single user can employ AI tech to come up with a pretty impressive trailer, it still requires considerable effort, with the user employing ChatGPT for dialogue and story ideas Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Runway, Pika Labs for the visuals and Photoshop, After Effects and Audition for editing.

Still, the new tech means creators will mainly be limited by their imaginations in the future, rather than budgets, as has been the case in the past.

Ai generated trailer for horror film Magic 8
by u/SellowYubmarine in singularity