Read Write Own

Blockchain has caught some heat in the past few years through busts like FTX and countless rug pulls. I too was pretty down on the future prospect of blockchain tech actually having any useful applications. It's so easy to focus only on the negative things happening within the space. Read Write Own successfully changed my perspective.

I really appreciated Dixon's take that there is a delineation between the casino and the computer. The casino being the negative side of blockchain—people trying to get rich quick. The latter being the actual utility of the technology.

Dixon was also quick to point out the flaws and problems with big tech holding all the power in the digital economy. While I agree, I couldn't help but think about his place as a partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)—an early investor in Facebook, Airbnb, Coinbase, GitHub, Lyft, Instagram, Oculus, Okta, Pinterest, Roblox, and many (many!) more. If we're going to push forward blockchain, emphasizing the importance of decentralized protocols, then let's really decentralize. We don't need big tech as majority stakeholders or validators in a decentralized economy which would undoubtedly result in an environment similar to our current tech climate.

Overall, I was predominantly excited about blockchain's potential to reshift incentives and share profits in generative AI. Laws around generative AI and copyright are incredibly vague. With the current way things are going, there needs to be a shift so that artists are properly compensated for their work. I'm hopeful that blockchain is a lasting and equitable solution.