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Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain: The Winning Combination

Sepana has developed search engines for applications and distributed social networks that help verify the reliability of information and the integrity of data

Yoel Tzafrir, in collaboration with ICBW3. 03 September 2023


David Keyes and Daniel Keyes
Right: David Keyes and Daniel Keyes Photography: Yael Tzur

"Blockchain search capabilities are currently underdeveloped compared to other sectors, and we aim to change that," say brothers Daniel and David Keys, who founded Sepana about two years ago with a vision to build a search infrastructure for blockchain and Web 3.0. "In light of the tremendous opportunities created by the rise of ChatGPT and other major language models, we decided to launch a service aimed at rapidly developing and implementing technology products that optimally leverage artificial intelligence in Web 3.0 and across the entire network."


The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv and employs a team of 18 people worldwide. "Our team includes PhDs and experts in artificial intelligence (AI and NLP), cryptography, blockchain, and zero-knowledge. We take pride in our multidisciplinary approach and our ability to tackle complex challenges across various fields," note the Keys brothers, who have raised approximately $12 million from venture capital funds, including Pitango, Collider, HackVC, Protocol Labs, Balaji Srinivasan, and several angel investors.


"Our clients include developers of distributed applications (dapps) and protocols seeking significant improvements in their search experiences. Initially, we focused primarily on social networks and decentralized applications such as DeSo, Mirror, and Lens. Later, we expanded our efforts to include the decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT sectors," they explain. "We are proud to have processed millions of search queries across several major blockchains. We have developed leading search engines for distributed applications and social networks. Furthermore, Sepana is at the forefront of developing applications that provide zero-knowledge proofs, enhancing the security and proving the reliability and integrity of data and information."


According to them, ChatGPT and other major language models have completely changed the rules of the game. 'There is now a demand for unprecedentedly rapid innovation in information infrastructures, along with a need to adapt to new user expectations,' they emphasize. 'Overall, the nature of databases and search is evolving—from merely retrieving information to enabling interactivity. Users now expect to interact with information, to experience, enhance, and enrich it, rather than passively viewing it.'

 

What is your vision for the future of the industry in which you operate?


"We believe we are at a unique and pivotal moment in history. In the post-GPT era, information channels are likely to be flooded with 'generative information'—fabricated data created by machines rather than humans. We anticipate a 'tsunami wave of fake information,' making it increasingly difficult to discern what is real and what is not. For instance, how will insurance companies determine if a customer has submitted an actual photo of an accident, or one fabricated by Midjourney? Or how will airlines verify that the person speaking on the other end of the line is indeed real and not a voice generated by Eleven Labs? We foresee a need for new cryptographic proof systems to help authenticate the credibility of information. This presents an unprecedented opportunity, and those who will thrive are those quick to adopt blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies."



In collaboration with ICBW3.


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