It seems as though everyone’s working on a layer 2 these days. This is good. Thanks to an expanding crop of L2s, users no longer have to time simple financial transactions just to avoid expensive gas fees. But now that we’ve achieved scale, what are we going to do with it? L2s need to be more than a place to process transactions—they’re where applications will live.

We believe Hemi is more than an L2 — it’s the network for what’s next. And what’s next is AI.

We’re already seeing several types of blockchain-AI integrations that could further benefit by deploying on Hemi. 

• Smart agents: Agents are personalized AIs that can do things on a user’s behalf. The upside is obvious — everyone wants a cake on their birthday, but your best friend knows it should be a pineapple upside-down cake without any singing. A well-trained AI could recommend the perfect bakery and arrange for delivery (after you sign off, of course). Smart agents go even further, connecting to your wallet and the applications you use so your off-chain life can be executed on-chain via smart contracts.

• Smart wallets: How often do you check your crypto wallet? Probably only when you use it. You may not notice security breaches or plunging asset prices until the money’s gone. AI-powered smart wallets can learn from your habits to prevent unauthorized transactions — and maybe even suggest rebalancing your portfolio based on your investment strategy. Best of all, smart wallets are always learning, so their utility improves over time.

• Decentralized compute: AI requires a massive amount of computing power, the kind that typically relies on warehoused databases. One thing that Bitcoin has is a lot of decentralized computing power. AI-based crypto would allow AI applications to tap into hardware access on demand via on-chain marketplaces, increasing the efficiency of compute power allocation.

Blockchain provides the ideal infrastructure for AI because it provides immutability, security, and transparency. And Hemi is the right L2 network to build on because its combination of Ethereum-level programmability and Bitcoin-exceeding security enables the creation of AI applications that are uniquely secure. 

That’s vital as we venture into the next realm of AI tools. You’ll trust an assistant to set your calendar, but will you trust an agent with access to your funds? AI can move compute power around, but couldn’t it also divert resources from essential activities?

With Hemi, you can build AI applications that are secure and flexible. 

We’re planning to roll out a production-ready AI implementation (and two beta implementations) by the end of 2024. To learn how to make Hemi the home of your AI app, read the whitepaper and the relevant documentation or stop by the team’s Discord.