Blockchain Oracle

Role

- Designer

Tools

- Unreal Engine, Blender, Premiere Pro and After Effects

Interacting with the blockchain in the ways the ancient Greeks consulted their oracles so that the technology is more aligned with its stated values.

The blockchain oracle as an AI agent

People congregating to discuss and purposefully interact with the immutable ledger

We were required to critically and creatively explore of an aspect of the future of work and to consider how our proposed systems profoundly implicate and impact individuals through the currency of our most valuable commodities: time and labor.

The Oracle Problem exists within Computer Science and describes the fact that a closed system cannot inherently determine the truth of information about the outside world. For such a system to validate truthfulness, it requires the connection of a sensor or a user interface to translate information into data the computer can understand.

How can the “oracle problem” be reframed as an “oracle solution” in light of the blockchain's immutable characteristic?

Within the context of DAOs that operate on the blockchain, the capture of “truth” through votes with socio-political repercussions needs to exist in the public square, instead of within the confines of a private entity.

Identity and information as unchangeable and permanent

The byproduct of ever-increasing productivity and convenience

Despite the marketing-speak, those who possess the most voting power determine the future

A gesture comparing DAO operations to that of a drive-thru (inspired by "Snow Crash")

Deeply intrigued by blockchain technology and its wide-ranging implications, I chose to focus on DAOs, specifically their governance structure. One day when dropping off a letter at a nearby mail box, I was struck by the similarities of the USPS infrastructure and blockchain technology. Both systems involve a complex, technical infrastructure for transporting information around the world, especially verified voting ballots. Yet, it is accessible, reliable and simple-to-use.

Experiment with 360-degree video in a centralized public space

A gesture to the political-economic implications between the gig economy and DAOs

Scripted interaction between the main character and the drive-thru AI agent

By applying the metaphor of the ancient Greek oracle archetype, the stated values of blockchain technology are concretized: a source of truth, a publicly available, democratic, and functionally mythological. Much in the same ways the Greeks interacted with their oracles, users can interact directly to the blockchain through a network of monuments that possess computer vision, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing.