Rob Viglione, Co-Founder and CEO of Horizen Labs and zkVerify, shares his transition from military intelligence in Afghanistan to co-founding a blockchain company. He discusses the role of zero-knowledge (ZK) technology in enabling private transactions, the need for integration of crypto with traditional finance, and the vision to bring off-chain information on chain.

Key Takeaways:

• Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs): what they are, and why they’re so important in today’s digital landscape

• The utility of cryptocurrencies for individuals in poorly governed jurisdictions

• The convergence of AI and blockchain, and how ZKPs can verify AI outputs without compromising privacy

• The real-world applications of ZK technology, such as private transactions, digital identity verification, and connecting traditional finance with blockchain

Guest Bio: Rob Viglione is the co-founder and CEO of Horizen Labs, the development studio behind several leading Web3 projects, including zkVerify and Horizen.

Rob served in the U.S. Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan, where he supported Special Operations Task Force intelligence efforts. During this time, he developed an early interest in Bitcoin, recognizing its potential benefits for countries with unstable economies.

Today, Rob’s work focuses on Web3 scalability, blockchain efficiency, and zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). With the growing convergence of AI and blockchain, Horizen Labs is also exploring how ZKPs can be used to help verify AI model outputs without compromising privacy.

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About this Show:

The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all!

Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together.

The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API.

Music by: Ari Dvorin

Produced by: Sam Laliberte