Artificial Intelligence – Page 3 – Blockchain & AI Forum

by Yogi Nelson

Welcome to the BlockchainAIForum

If you learn via traditional academic methods, as do I, and are interested in acquiring knowledge about blockchain and crypto, this article is for you. As blockchain transforms industries from finance to supply chain, specialized certificate and diploma programs have emerged to equip professionals with skills in cryptography, smart contracts, and decentralized applications. Below are some of the USA’s most notable offerings, featuring MIT, Carnegie Mellon, UC Berkeley, Northeastern, UCLA Extension, Cornell, and industry certifications. Did I fail to note one or more outstanding programs–of course. The list is not comprehensive, just a start. A university not listed but worthy of a mention–University of Nicosia, located in Cypress. It was the first university in the world to offer a Masters in Blockchain and Crypto! I completed three courses from there plus the MIT program. Enjoy!

Blockchain Fundamentals Professional Certificate – UC Berkeley (edX)

Format: Online, self-paced via edX.
Curriculum: Covers Bitcoin mechanics, Ethereum, and enterprise platforms like Quorum, Ripple, Tendermint, and Hyperledger.
Strengths: Prestigious academic foundation; flexible, foundational credential for broad technical literacy.

Graduate Certificate in Blockchain and Smart Contract Engineering – Northeastern University

Format: On-campus (Boston), full-time or part-time.
Curriculum: Ethereum, smart contract development, crypto-engineering, and blockchain security.
Strengths: Hands-on technical training with pathways into master’s programs and co-op experiences.

Blockchain Essentials Certificate – Cornell University (eCornell)

Format: 100% online, instructor-led; typically completed in three months.
Curriculum: Four courses — Blockchain Fundamentals, Blockchain for Business, Smart Contracts and DApps, Blockchain in Financial Services.
Strengths: Blends technical literacy with business application; taught by Cornell faculty engaged in blockchain research.

Blockchain Technology Management Certificate – UCLA Extension

Format: Professional, non-credit continuing education.
Curriculum: Blockchain fundamentals, enterprise DLT strategy, DeFi, DAOs, governance, legal/regulatory issues, and implementation.
Strengths: Targets executives and managers needing governance insight and strategic integration capabilities.

MIT Blockchain & Crypto Certifications

a) Blockchain: Disruptive Technology – MIT Professional Education: Online, 8 weeks; covers encryption, consensus, Ethereum, smart contracts, and strategy.
b) Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application – MIT Sloan Executive Education: 6 weeks; focuses on cryptoeconomics, decentralized platforms, governance.
c) Blockchain and Crypto Applications: From DeFi to Web 3 – MIT Sloan Executive Education: 6 weeks; focuses on DeFi, NFTs, Web3, and regulation.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Blockchain Courses

Blockchain Fundamentals (Heinz College): Cryptography, consensus, governance, programming.
Foundations of Blockchains (ECE 18-435): Consensus protocols, mechanism design, and security proofs.
Basics of Cryptocurrencies, Blockchains, and Applications: Executive-level overview.
Blockchain and SQL Fundamentals (MSCF Program): SQL plus blockchain programming for finance.
Strengths: CMU integrates blockchain into graduate, undergraduate, and executive programs.

Comparative Table

Program / Certificate	Format & Level	Focus	Ideal For
UC Berkeley – Blockchain Fundamentals (edX)	Online / Professional	Technical foundations, enterprise platforms	Learners seeking reputable, flexible credential
Northeastern University	On-campus / Graduate	Smart contracts, Ethereum, blockchain engineering	Developers, engineers, technical specialists
Cornell University (eCornell)	Online / Professional	Business + technical literacy, DeFi, industry cases	Business leaders and professionals
UCLA Extension	Professional / Non-credit	Governance, strategy, enterprise DLT	Executives, managers, policy strategists
MIT – Disruptive Technology	Online / Professional	Blockchain fundamentals with strategic focus	Professionals driving tech adoption
MIT Sloan – Innovation & DeFi/Web3	Executive / Self-paced	Economics, DeFi, NFTs, Web3	Strategic leaders in finance and tech
CMU – Various Courses	Graduate / Undergraduate / Executive	Advanced technical, programming, policy dimensions	Engineers, researchers, policy advisors

Well there you have it future blockchain and crypto students. A list that will help you get started and get smarter.

Until next time,

Yogi Nelson

AI Agents, AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchains, computer vision, content creation, cryptography, NASA, Science, Yogi Nelson

Blockchain for Open Science: How NASA is Leading the Way

September 29, 2025August 14, 2025 Yogi Nelson

by Yogi Nelson

Welcome to the BlockchainAIForum

Why Open Science Needs Stronger Data Integrity 🔐

Aaron Malone, Unbound Science Founder, introduced me to the idea of non-traditional science. Not exactly in the manner of NASA, nevertheless in the general direction. You can read about open science at: https://openscience.org/. And then there is decentralized science. This movement consists of a budding cluster of independent researchers and scientists who ditched traditional science to pursue science without political pressure. Check out Unbound Science here: unboundscience.com

In this article I’ll focus on NASA’s version of open science—the idea that data, methods, and findings should be openly shared—is critical to global progress. Keep in mind NASA is a USA government agency so their idea of open science might be …. Nevertheless let’s dig in. This article will rely on NASA’s recent technical memorandum, Blockchain for Supporting Open Science Practices, which highlights how blockchain technology can solve these issues by bringing data provenance, transparency, and immutability to the scientific process.

What is Blockchain and Why Does it Matter for Science? 🔗

Blockchain is essentially a distributed ledger that records transactions in a tamper-proof way. Once data is added, it’s nearly impossible to alter without detection. This technology has already transformed the finance and supply chain industries, and now NASA is exploring how it can protect research data.

For science, blockchain could:
– Verify data authenticity (ensuring no one alters findings after publication).
– Track contributions to projects, providing fair credit for datasets, analyses, and results.
– Facilitate reproducibility, which is essential for scientific trust.

Data Provenance: The Heart of the Challenge 📂

Data provenance—the full history of where data came from, who handled it, and how it evolved—is often missing from modern science repositories. NASA’s report notes that incomplete provenance records make it hard for researchers to reproduce findings.

Recording data events on a blockchain, creates a transparent and traceable chain of custody for every dataset. Scientists can see every step and that creates a transparent and traceable chain of custody for every dataset.
1. Who collected the data.
2. When it was collected.
3. How it was processed.
4. Which algorithms or models were applied.

Supporting Global Scientific Collaboration

NASA operates large international missions like the Earth Observing System and the James Webb Space Telescope. These projects involve thousands of researchers and terabytes of data. Without secure, automated systems, maintaining integrity across partners is challenging.

Blockchain can help by:
– Creating a common ledger shared among all research partners.
– Reducing the risk of tampering by a single actor.
– Automating permissions and access rights using smart contracts, so only authorized individuals can edit or annotate data.

Enhancing Credit and Recognition 🏆

One of the frustrations in science is lack of recognition for data curators, software developers, and other contributors who aren’t listed as lead authors. NASA’s memorandum highlights that blockchain could link each contribution to a unique digital identity, ensuring everyone receives proper credit. Researchers could even receive digital tokens or certifications for their work, providing a transparent record for resumes, tenure committees, and funding agencies.

Addressing Challenges and Limitations ⚡

Blockchain isn’t a magic bullet. NASA’s report acknowledges some hurdles:
– Scalability: Storing massive datasets directly on blockchain is impractical. Instead, the blockchain should store references and hashes, while the data itself remains in traditional repositories. DeSCI would say use decentralized file space, such as FileCoin.
– Energy use: Some blockchains consume significant energy. NASA emphasizes the need for green blockchain protocols suitable for science.
– User adoption: Researchers must be trained to use blockchain tools effectively, which requires cultural change.

NASA’s Next Steps 🚀

The memorandum outlines pilot projects where NASA plans to test blockchain tools in open science contexts. By leading these experiments, NASA hopes to set the standard for how blockchain can enable a trusted and transparent scientific ecosystem. These pilots will likely focus on:
– Metadata tracking for large Earth science datasets.
– Smart contracts for automating data-sharing agreements.
– Prototypes for tracking software versions in complex modeling projects.

What This Means for the Future of Science 📢

The push for open science is gaining momentum worldwide, and blockchain could be the infrastructure that makes it possible at scale. NASA’s leadership in this field signals that blockchain could soon be as essential to science as telescopes and satellites. Imagine a world where:
– Every dataset is verifiable and traceable back to its source.
– Data-sharing agreements are automatically enforced by smart contracts.
– Researchers can confidently build on others’ work without worrying about data corruption or ownership disputes.

Final Thoughts 📝

NASA’s Blockchain for Supporting Open Science Practices (2023) is more than just a technical memorandum—it’s a blueprint for how blockchain can enhance scientific integrity and collaboration. While challenges remain, the potential to revolutionize data sharing and reproducibility is undeniable.

Remember to check out Unbound Science. Until next time,

Yogi Nelson

Sources:
NASA Technical Reports Server (2023). Blockchain for Supporting Open Science Practices. NTRS Report Number 20230009029.

Citation: NASA Technical Reports Server (2023). Blockchain for Supporting Open Science Practices. [NTRS 20230009029]

AI Agents, AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchains, content creation, Healtlh, international aid, linguistics

Saving Lost Tongues: How Artificial Intelligence Is Rescuing Endangered Languages

September 27, 2025September 3, 2025 Yogi Nelson

by Yogi Nelson

Welcome to the BlockchainAIForum

The Silent Crisis of Language Loss

Linguistics was perhaps my favorite course at UCLA, outside of my major. Now that I am fully bilingual (English/Spanish) I appreciate languages all the more. Sadly, according to UNESCO, nearly 3,000 of the 7,000 languages spoken today are endangered. When a language dies, we lose more than words—we lose culture, identity, history, and unique worldviews. Language extinction is not just a linguistic issue; it is a humanitarian, cultural, and intellectual emergency.

Yet, amid this somber trend, a surprising ally has emerged: artificial intelligence. By combining linguistic data with machine learning, AI technologies are helping linguists, activists, and communities revive, preserve, and revitalize languages that might otherwise be lost forever. A big thumbs up for AI!

AI as the Unexpected Hero

AI’s applications in language preservation range from documentation to real-time translation and learning tools. Its capacity to process vast quantities of linguistic data at scale and speed makes it uniquely suited to the challenge. A report by Apolitical highlights how AI can assist in phonetic transcription, text-to-speech synthesis, and pattern recognition in oral languages that lack written forms. This is particularly valuable for Indigenous languages that are at high risk of extinction and often lack sufficient resources for traditional preservation methods (Apolitical, 2023).

Language Documentation and Digitization

One of AI’s most impactful roles is in automating the documentation of endangered languages. In collaboration with linguists and local speakers, AI systems can transcribe audio recordings, identify grammatical patterns, and store this data in accessible databases. For example, researchers at Dartmouth College are using AI to create digital corpora of endangered languages, incorporating video, audio, and written materials. These databases help in both linguistic research and language learning, empowering communities to pass their heritage to future generations (Dartmouth University, 2023). AI models can also fill in linguistic gaps using predictive techniques, enabling linguists to reconstruct partially lost grammar or vocabulary. While this work must be handled with care to avoid misrepresentation, it can offer valuable starting points for revitalization.

Reviving Oral Traditions

Many endangered languages are primarily oral. This poses a major challenge for preservation, as traditional language models rely heavily on text. AI-driven speech recognition and synthesis technologies are now being trained on oral languages, allowing researchers to create spoken dictionaries and learning apps tailored to specific dialects.

Deepgram’s article *Reviving Lost Tongues* discusses how voice AI can listen to native speakers, learn unique phonetic features, and generate accurate digital representations. This technology is particularly impactful in remote regions, where connectivity and educational resources are limited (Deepgram, 2024). In turn, AI-generated learning platforms can teach these languages to new generations, often through mobile apps, chatbots, and interactive audio tools. As these platforms evolve, they are becoming increasingly immersive and engaging, helping young people reconnect with ancestral tongues.

Community Empowerment Through Technology

It is essential that AI-driven language preservation efforts are inclusive and community-led. Technology must not replace native speakers; it should empower them. Collaborations between AI researchers and Indigenous communities are crucial. These partnerships ensure that cultural context is preserved, and that AI systems respect linguistic diversity without standardizing or homogenizing it. Community-driven datasets, ethical data governance, and open-source tools are key to achieving this.

Blockchain can also support this mission by providing decentralized ownership of linguistic data. Communities can retain control over how their language resources are shared, monetized, or used in research—fostering sovereignty and trust.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

Despite its promise, AI in language preservation is not without challenges. Bias in training data, insufficient representation of rare languages, and ethical concerns about data usage all require careful management. There is also a risk that AI models may reinforce colonial hierarchies if not developed in consultation with Indigenous peoples.

Moreover, building high-quality datasets for AI training demands time, funding, and access—resources that are often scarce in endangered-language communities. Sustainable investment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical AI design are therefore essential.

The Future: A World Rich in Voices

The use of AI to preserve and revitalize dying languages is still in its early stages, but it offers a transformative path forward. By supporting documentation, education, and community empowerment, AI tools can breathe new life into languages on the brink of extinction. In the words of a researcher cited by Dartmouth University, “Each language is a world. When we save one, we preserve a way of understanding the human experience.”

Until next time,

Yogi Nelson

p.s. Happy Birthday to my son Marcel–who will soon be a father also! He has decided to dedicated 2026 to be the year of improving his Spanish speaking abilities and I couldn’t be happier!

Sources

– AI: The Unexpected Hero in the Battle to Save Dying Languages, Apolitical, 2023.
– Language Preservation Efforts Get an AI Boost, Dartmouth University, 2023.

–UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger.
– Reviving Lost Tongues: How AI Battles Language Extinction, Deepgram, 2024.

AI Agents, AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchains, computer vision, content creation, cryptography, Decentralized, Digital Currency, Oracles, Science, Yogi Nelson

🔮 How Oracles Work in the Blockchain World — Featuring Chainlink

September 18, 2025August 12, 2025 Yogi Nelson

by Yogi Nelson

Welcome to the BlockchainAIForum

🧱 What Is an Oracle?

An oracle is a service that provides external data to a blockchain. It tells the blockchain what’s going on in the real world so that smart contracts can act on that data. But of course there is more to the story and if you stay with me for three minutes, you will gain a deeper understanding. Let’s dive in.

Why Do Blockchains Need Oracles?

Blockchains are closed systems. They are deliberately isolated from the outside world to remain secure and tamper-proof. However, many blockchain applications—especially smart contracts—need real-world data to function. Examples include:

– Sports scores for betting apps
– Weather conditions for crop insurance
– Stock prices for decentralized finance (DeFi)
– Currency exchange rates for cross-border payments

⚙️ How Do Oracles Work?

Oracles act like data messengers, feeding smart contracts the trusted information they need. Perhaps think of an oracle as a messenger. Let’s walk through a simple example: A decentralized insurance contract pays out to farmers if rainfall in a certain area is below a specified threshold. Here’s how oracles help:

1. Smart Contract Request: The insurance contract sends a request for weather data.
2. Oracle Receives Request: The oracle picks up the request and fetches the required data (e.g., from a weather API).
3. Data Is Verified: The data is often verified or corroborated across multiple sources to ensure it is accurate.
4. Data Is Delivered: The oracle sends the verified data back to the smart contract.
5. Action Is Taken: Based on the data, the smart contract executes its logic—e.g., issuing a payout.

🔐 The Problem with Centralized Oracles

If you use just one oracle to provide this data, you create a central point of failure. What if that oracle lies, is hacked, or goes offline? Suddenly, the whole smart contract system becomes compromised. This defeats the purpose of using decentralized technology in the first place. Hence, decentralized oracles are the solution—bringing multiple data sources and multiple oracles together to reach consensus and maintain integrity.

🌐 Enter Chainlink: The Leading Oracle Network

Chainlink is the most widely adopted decentralized oracle network in the blockchain space. Launched in 2017 by Sergey Nazarov and Steve Ellis, Chainlink was designed to solve the “oracle problem”—how to bring secure and reliable off-chain data onto the blockchain without introducing a point of failure.

🧩 How Chainlink Works

Chainlink operates through a decentralized network of nodes that provide external data to smart contracts. Here’s a high-level overview:

📝 1. Request Initiation. A smart contract emits a request for data. Chainlink picks it up.

👥 2. Oracle Selection. Chainlink matches the request to a set of independent oracles. These nodes are chosen based on reputation and performance metrics.

📡 3. Data Aggregation. Each oracle retrieves data from external sources (APIs, IoT devices, market data feeds, etc.). Then, Chainlink aggregates all the responses to eliminate outliers and produce a trustworthy data point.

💎 4. Result Delivery. The final data is delivered back to the smart contract, triggering its execution.

🪙 5. Incentives and Penalties. Oracles earn LINK tokens as payment for honest work. Malicious or inaccurate nodes are penalized by losing stake or reputation.

🛡️ Why Chainlink Stands Out

– Decentralization: No single point of failure; multiple nodes verify the data.
– Data Quality: Chainlink uses multiple premium data providers and APIs.
– Security: Nodes stake LINK tokens, aligning their incentives with accuracy.
– Wide Adoption: Used by projects like Aave, Synthetix, Compound, and even Google Cloud for blockchain integrations.
– Cross-Chain Compatibility: With its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), Chainlink can facilitate oracle services across multiple blockchains.

🧠 Chainlink Use Cases

– DeFi: Real-time price feeds for assets (e.g., ETH/USD), interest rates, and lending protocols.
– Insurance: Weather data or flight status for automated claims processing.
– Gaming: Random number generation (RNG) for fairness in blockchain-based games.
– Enterprise: Secure off-chain data feeds from traditional institutions like banks and cloud services.

🔮 The Future of Oracles and Chainlink

Oracles will be crucial to the next phase of blockchain innovation. As smart contracts evolve beyond simple logic to govern real-world activities, oracles will need to deliver ever-more reliable, real-time data. Chainlink’s future lies not just in being an oracle, but in becoming a full-fledged interoperability layer between blockchains and the world. Chainlink is leading the charge in:

– Verifiable randomness
– Proof of reserves
– Secure cross-chain communication
– Zero-knowledge data oracles

🧭 Final Thoughts

Oracles are the unsung heroes of the blockchain world—essential yet often misunderstood. Without them, smart contracts would be powerful but blind. Chainlink provides the vision, security, and scalability that modern decentralized applications (dApps) demand. As Web3 grows, Chainlink’s decentralized oracle network is poised to become a foundational infrastructure—powering everything from finance to insurance to gaming. If you’re building or investing in blockchain projects, understanding oracles—and Chainlink—is no longer optional. It’s essential.

My oracle message is stay informed and until next time,

Yogi Nelson

AI Agents, AI Tools, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchains, computer vision, content creation, Euro, Italy, Science, Yogi Nelson

How the Government of Italy Is Using Blockchain

September 15, 2025August 12, 2025 Yogi Nelson

Exploring the Past, Present, and Future of Public Sector Innovation

by Yogi Nelson

Welcome to the BlockchainAIForum

A Digital Renaissance in the Italian Government

I post this article in honor of Italy from the great city of Milan, Italy! Unbelievable! Italy, a country known for its ancient traditions and rich cultural legacy, is undergoing a quiet digital revolution. I’m hoping to see it and much more. In recent years, the Italian government has embraced blockchain technology not just as a buzzword, but as a functional tool to modernize its public sector. From notarization services to education credentials, Italy is leveraging blockchain for transparency, efficiency, and trust.

📜 A Timeline of Blockchain Adoption in Italy

2018: First Steps
Italy became one of the first European Union countries to formally define blockchain in law. In 2019, the government issued a decree recognizing the legal validity of digital records stored on blockchain—a foundational move that paved the way for official use.

2020–2022: Strategic Framework
The Italian Ministry for Economic Development (MiSE) launched a Task Force on Distributed Ledger Technologies, laying out strategies to promote public-private blockchain initiatives. It also joined the European Blockchain Partnership (EBP), a consortium working toward a cross-border blockchain infrastructure.

🧾 Use Case: Blockchain for Notarization

One of the earliest blockchain applications adopted by the Italian government is document time stamping and notarization. Using blockchain, Italians can certify ownership, creation dates, and authenticity of documents without going through traditional notary services. This includes contracts, intellectual property, and even digital art. In Puerto Rico, where I live, our legal system, shares, and suffers from, many of the same antiquated notarization system. Its awful.

Key Player: Blockchain Italia.io
In collaboration with municipal governments, Blockchain Italia developed Dedit.io, a blockchain-based notarization platform now used by various public entities for legal proof and traceability.

🎓 Use Case: Education Credentials

The University of Cagliari partnered with the Italian Ministry of Education to launch a pilot program that issues blockchain-verified diplomas and academic records. This model is now being reviewed for nationwide rollout, potentially replacing traditional paper certificates.

Benefits include:
– Instant verification of credentials for employers and foreign institutions
– Tamper-proof and accessible from anywhere
– Reduces fraud and administrative overhead

🏛️ Use Case: Public Procurement Transparency

Italy has a long-standing battle against corruption and opaque procurement practices. Blockchain is offering new tools to digitize and audit public contracts.

Pilot Projects:
– Veneto Region initiated a blockchain-based procurement pilot to digitally track bidding processes and vendor compliance.
– Blockchain systems help ensure that once a public tender is published, terms cannot be altered, increasing trust among vendors.

🖼️ Use Case: Cultural Heritage and NFTs

Italy’s Ministry of Culture has partnered with private companies to use blockchain for art and cultural preservation.

Example: Uffizi Gallery in Florence
The museum launched NFT versions of classical artworks like Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, recorded on blockchain and sold globally. Proceeds help fund restoration and conservation.

Blockchain Utility:
– Ensures provenance of digital replicas
– Protects copyright and licensing for state-owned works

🚦 Regulation and Compliance

The Italian government, while encouraging innovation, maintains a strong focus on regulatory compliance:

– The 2023 Financial Law includes guidance on crypto asset reporting
– CONSOB and Banca d’Italia oversee blockchain finance to prevent misuse

🔮 Looking Ahead: Future Blockchain Use Cases in Italy

National Digital Identity. Plans are underway to integrate blockchain into Italy’s digital ID system (SPID). This would enable decentralized and self-sovereign identity, putting users in control of their own personal data. Be aware my Italian friends–this could lead to more government control.

Voting and Citizen Engagement. Local governments are exploring blockchain-based voting pilots, especially for expatriate Italians who face challenges in secure remote voting.

Health Records. Better sharing of health data, including vaccination certificates and medical histories.

🌍 Italy’s Role in the EU Blockchain Landscape

As part of the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI), Italy contributes to cross-border projects involving:
– Customs and tax compliance
– Academic credential recognition
– Digital business registries

This aligns Italy with the EU’s broader digital transformation goals and strengthens its leadership in public sector blockchain adoption.

🧩 Final Thoughts: Tradition Meets Technology

Italy is proving that blockchain isn’t just for tech startups or financial firms—it’s a foundational technology for transparent, secure, and efficient governance. With well-defined laws, pilot programs, and a collaborative approach, the Italian government is helping set the standard for how blockchain can transform the public sector across Europe.

Time to get back to sight seeing in Milan!

Until next time,

Yogi Nelson