The largest decentralized computer network in the world is the Bitcoin network. With more than 18,500 nodes running globally, and secured by approximately 600 exahashes (600 quintillion cryptographic calculations) per second the Bitcoin network has been deemed the most resilient on the planet. So long as one copy of the blockchain remains it is effectively indestructible.
Some have developed novel ways to use this resilient distributed technology to re-imagine how we communicate, store information, and preserve history.
While the Bitcoin blockchain is most commonly used to store transaction data of multiple parties exchanging Bitcoins, there are other uses for the Bitcoin blockchain as a means of data storage. In fact, it is possible to store files up to ≈4 megabytes on the bitcoin blockchain. While this may not sound like a lot of data in a world filled with 4K video and 100 megapixel cameras, for the most valuable and precious information, 4 megabytes can go a long way in preserving high value information such as an important legal document, events in history that shouldn’t be forgotten, or even a book containing ideas worth protecting.
When a file is “inscribed” (saved) on the Bitcoin blockchain through what is called a Bitcoin Ordinal, it becomes a part of the immutable history of the Bitcoin blockchain. It will exist in perpetuity so long as the network exists, and all 18,500+ nodes that support the blockchain will retain a perfect copy of the data.
John Byron Hanby IV, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Iternal Technologies, has recently published a full copy of his best selling book "Your Answers" using Bitcoin ordinals, a move that marks a novel approach to literary distribution.
Hanby said: “There is no greater freedom than truly knowing yourself. While growing up and in school we are asked to analyze other people's stories, but we rarely spend any time on the most important story of all, our own.”
The book "Your Answers" explores themes of self-discovery and offers readers a roadmap to navigate life's challenges through self exploration to reach their maximum potential.
Hanby designed and wrote the book to be interactive, with each page containing a question to answer about yourself. The book also includes information explaining each question in detail and the “why” behind the question so readers can easily understand the intent of each question.
By making an effort to answer each question, Hanby said that “people end up discovering there are a lot of questions that are harder to answer than expected, and that creates growth.”
With a career that spans contributions to Artificial Intelligence, the film industry and the literary world, including over 65 international film awards and three bestselling books, Hanby's latest project merges Bitcoin’s blockchain technology with one of the oldest forms of large scale communication, books.
The decision to publish "Your Answers" on the Bitcoin blockchain is aimed at leveraging the technology for its durability and resistance to censorship. Hanby says he hopes to make personal development more accessible to those around the world who need help.
The book contains 183 unique questions spanning everything from personal feelings, health, career aspirations, world-views, how you respond to worst case scenarios, and questions about how you envision your life unfolding.
Manolis Kellis, a professor of Computer Science at MIT commented on the book “What a wonderful collection of insightful questions, with profound personal answers and implications.”
Hanby’s choice to publish on the Bitcoin blockchain reflects a growing interest in utilizing decentralized technologies for content storage and access. The book's themes align with the core values of the Bitcoin community, such as autonomy, personal responsibility, and the pursuit of knowledge. By inscribing the book directly onto the Bitcoin blockchain, Hanby introduces a model that promises permanence and offers a direct connection between authors and their audience, challenging conventional publishing models.
The book in full can be read for free on the Bitcoin blockchain or through any ordinal inscription viewer by searching for ID: cdbf5795f3cafd227958492b7ec5186865416659f43b4e9136d51638a42f1a8ei0. If readers still want a physical version of the book, “Your Answers” can be purchased on Amazon.
Critics have noted the innovative nature of publishing media on the Bitcoin blockchain, recognizing it as an indicator of potential shifts in content distribution and ownership practices. Recently musicians and other types of artists have also opted to explore this unique publication method.
The publication of "Your Answers" on the blockchain not only secures Hanby's work against loss or alteration but also suggests a future where authors might increasingly adopt blockchain technology to ensure the longevity and integrity of their works.
As AI becomes an increasingly dominant part of the public’s discussion, there is a common theme that is foundational to both discussions around AI and Bitcoin: Energy.
As the demand for more powerful AI increases so does the demand for greater access to energy. In fact the current most powerful generally available AI servers can consume as much as 7,000 watts of power per server, nearly the equivalent of 10 horsepower. Training the latest AI models can require thousands of these servers, with more powerful AI models requiring more computation.
It is becoming clear that only a select few global enterprise companies like Google, Facebook, OpenAI and Microsoft have the desire and access to both hardware and energy to train their own super-powerful AI models. As a result it is likely that most users, both businesses and individuals, will simply seek to consume these advanced AI models, whether closed source or open source.
Hanby’s company Iternal Technologies, has partnered with Dell Technologies and NVIDIA to make AI more accessible for businesses through a solution called Turnkey AI. A large amount of hype and excitement exists in the AI space today with many organizations still trying to figure out how they can use AI internally to make employees more efficient. Turnkey AI makes it easy for businesses to incorporate AI into their daily operations, with real tangible use cases, not science projects, which accelerates adoption of AI.
Leaders in sales, marketing, finance and other business teams are seeing the benefit of AI solutions like Turnkey AI, which is further increasing the excitement and buzz across the corporate world for incorporating AI into every major business team.
As AI accelerates and the energy demands increase, Bitcoin plays an important role in incentivizing development of energy infrastructure. Bitcoin’s protocol rewards miners with Bitcoin that can be used as a store of value or exchanged for local currency for operating computers that run the Bitcoin algorithm and consume energy from the power grid.
As the price and demand for Bitcoin increases, so does the amount of compute required to earn the reward and the corresponding amount of energy used. The more investment placed into Bitcoin mining, the more the power grid will need to develop to support higher energy requirements.
While some say that Bitcoin and AI will compete for power, others think they are mutually beneficial because the cost of energy directly determines the profitability of Bitcoin mining, pushing the energy industry as a whole toward finding more cost effective and scalable sources for energy.
Hanby hopes that his role as a leader in the AI space, along with his efforts to highlight the benefits of Bitcoin, can bring two communities or researchers and innovators together to create a better future.
As Bitcoin blockchain technology matures, its potential application in fields beyond finance, such as communication, knowledge sharing, and historic record, is becoming more apparent. Hanby's decision to publish on the Bitcoin blockchain could inspire further exploration and adoption of similar methods by other authors and publishers, potentially transforming traditional concepts of intellectual property and accessibility in the digital age.