This week’s comprehensive review and analysis in the fields of AI+Climate Tech and Web3 brings forward some significant developments and expert insights.

At the same time, I also wish you all a happy Christmas 2023.

AI+Climate Tech

1. Boston Consulting Group and Google Report: A joint report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Google emphasizes the critical role of AI in combating climate change. They found that by scaling current technologies, AI could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 5% to 10% by 2030. Rich Lesser, BCG’s Global Chair, highlights the need for policymakers to enable AI through smart policy decisions, suggesting that this might be among the most impactful climate actions available today.
2. MIT Energy and Climate Hack 2023: At the MIT Energy and Climate Hack, participants from various fields collaborated to create innovative solutions for the energy and climate crisis. This year, AI emerged as a key tool for creative climate solutions. The event’s focus areas included energy markets, transportation, and agricultural sectors. Organizers noted four core AI applications for special consideration: accelerating discovery, optimizing real-world solutions, improving prediction algorithms, and processing unstructured data.
3. Collective Approach to Climate Change: Claire Lorenzo, an organizer of the MIT Energy and Climate Hack, emphasized the necessity of a collective approach to addressing climate change. She remarked that there isn’t a singular solution to climate change, highlighting the importance of cooperation across various industries and leveraging knowledge from multiple fields for a lasting impact.

Web3 Developments

1. China’s Web3 and NFT Strategy: China’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced plans to release a Web3 strategy document. This initiative aims to address issues related to innovation, security, and government obligations in the Web3 industry, despite the country’s ban on cryptocurrencies. The strategy will focus on encouraging new business models like NFTs and distributed applications, and accelerating Web3 applications in government affairs and industry.
2. WalletConnect’s Decentralization Roadmap: WalletConnect, a key player in Web3 infrastructure, has announced a four-phase effort to decentralize its communications protocol. This includes transitioning to an open, permissionless network by 2025. The goal is to address challenges posed by centralized control in Web3 protocols, which threaten security and resilience in the ecosystem. The plan involves progressively decentralizing control and data across multiple nodes to enhance user protection and privacy.

These developments offer a profound glimpse into the current state and future possibilities of AI in climate action and the evolving landscape of Web3 technology. They demonstrate significant strides in both sectors, highlighting the intersection of advanced technology with environmental sustainability and the evolving digital economy.

Conclusion

This week’s developments in AI+Climate Tech and Web3 represent pivotal advancements at the intersection of technology and sustainability. The collaborative efforts in AI-driven climate solutions, as showcased by the MIT Energy and Climate Hack, and China’s strategic move towards regulating and promoting Web3 innovations, signify a global shift towards more integrated, technology-driven approaches to tackle complex challenges. These efforts not only underscore the potential of AI and Web3 in driving significant changes but also highlight the critical role of cross-industry collaboration and policy support in shaping a sustainable and technologically advanced future.

In particular, most Web3 practitioners are looking forward to entering the Chinese market, whether it is financing, promotion or operation. This open strategy of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China expresses the support for new business models such as NFT and decentralized applications, and the application of Web3 in the field of government affairs and industry, which can be regarded as a Christmas gift for Web3 practitioners.

As we continue to navigate these dynamic fields, the insights and innovations emerging weekly promise to redefine our approach to environmental challenges and digital transformations.