How Tech Advances in Blockchains Benefit Other Industries

Dan BonehTim RoughgardenSonal Chokshi

9.8.24

summary

In this special 50th episode, we discuss how work in the blockchains/ crypto space has led to advances in several important technologies — which can be used by many other industries well beyond crypto. We cover everything from AMMs to credible auctions to DAOs, to macroeconomic experiments and FHE to TEEs to zero knowledge and much more — offering useful explanations along the way.

show notes

with Dan Boneh @tim_roughgarden @smc90

In this special 50th episode of the web3 with a16z podcast, we discuss how work in the blockchains/ crypto space has led to advances in several important technologies — which can be (and are being) used by many other industries beyond crypto.

Tim Roughgarden (a16z crypto Head of Research and professor at Columbia University) and Dan Boneh (a16z crypto Senior Research Advisor and professor at Stanford University) discuss these advances in conversation with Sonal Chokshi.

Topics covered include automated market makers; credible auctions, collusion, and mechanism design not possible before; as well as zero knowledge; trusted execution environments (TEEs) and fully homomorphic encryption (FHE); and much more. We also discuss the recurring theme of how web3 provides a laboratory not only for experiments in governance, but for macroeconomics and more. The two also offer many useful explanations for anyone new to these technologies or seeking to understand why they matter in the big picture.

It’s an innovation story we’ve seen over and over again, from the space program to other massive invention efforts: Technologies developed for one purpose often lead to benefits for humanity overall.

Pieces mentioned in this episode and other resources:

As a reminder, none of the following is investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information including a link to a list of our investments. 

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