Technology

nChain announces first implementation of Verifiable AI on Bitcoin

Published

2 years ago

September 19, 2024

LONDON, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Leading experts at nChain have identified and successfully tested ways in which the output of an AI system can be verified using a blockchain. This can be used to ensure the model operates according to its specifications, is free of critical bugs, and adheres to ethical standards such as fairness, transparency, and safety. All without revealing proprietary information of the system – a major step in bringing trust and accountability to AI.

nChain successfully demonstrated verifiable AI inference (processing queries) on Bitcoin showing the relevant transactions on the original protocol Bitcoin, Bitcoin Satoshi Vision Blockchain (BSV Blockchain). The transactions can be found on mainnet with corresponding generation code on Github.

While this is a relatively new research area, and something nChain only recently started exploring, after having successfully implemented verifiable computation on Bitcoin the team challenged themselves to see if it could also apply this to machine learning.

“Training is computation. Inference is computation. If you can do verifiable computation, then you can do verifiable training or verifiable inference,” says Dr. Hamid Attar, lead AI Researcher at nChain.

The team trained a simple neural network on the MNIST dataset of images of hand-written digits. The model was then run on an input image, such as one provided by a user, and produced an output predicting which digit the input image represents. A cryptographic proof was generated to verify the output was indeed produced by running the model on the specified image while hiding all the information about the model. The proof was subsequently used to claim a small amount of bitcoin from the blockchain – in this case from the user. Here, Bitcoin not only provides a decentralised independent verification platform but also facilitates micro payment between a user and an AI model.

With verifiable computation approach, nChain can prove cryptographically that an AI model is trained on the claim dataset. For example, it can be proven that a generative AI model is trained on a dataset that is known to have no bias. More importantly, AI developers can prove that they did not tamper with the training dataset to train an AI model for malicious intentions. nChain can also prove that an output of an AI mode is obtained by running the specified AI model on the given input. For example, a piece of artwork can have a proof showing that it is generated by an AI model on a given prompt, or as a paid user you can be sure that you are getting answers from ChatGPT4 not the free versions.

nChain is proud to have successfully demonstrated verifiable inference on Bitcoin for the first time. The relevant transactions on the Bitcoin Satoshi Vision mainnet, and the code that generates them can be found on the zkScript GitHub repo.

About nChain :

nChain is a leading global blockchain technology company, offering software solutions, consulting services and IP licensing for clients in various industries looking to benefit from the security, transparency, and scalability of the blockchain. Founded in 2015, with offices in Lichtenstein, Switzerland, the UK and Slovenia, nChain employs more than 260 staff, and has a patent portfolio of over 3,900 patents and applications, of which over 1,090 have been granted. nChain is the developer of the Bitcoin SV Node software, Teranode, Lite Client and more.   

Notes to Editors:

The main challenge is the fact that neural network works with floating points while zero-knowledge proof works with integers. Fortunately, back in 2017, Jacob et al. described an approach to quantise AI models without losing accuracy in an academic paper (https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content_cvpr_2018/papers/Jacob_Quantization_and_Training_CVPR_2018_paper.pdf). They needed this for migrating pre-trained AI models from powerful servers to less capable mobile devices. As part of the process, they convert floating points to integers to reduce the dimension of the model for efficiency. We managed to adapt the methodology to fit our purposes and maintain an accuracy above 90%. There are other techniques to quantise an AI model. For example, research groups such as ZAMA (link) are exploring quantisation-aware training where the model is trained with an awareness that the weights will be converted to integers later.

To hide the model weights, we used a hash function and turned them into private inputs. Only the hash value of the weights is published. The computation circuit combines the AI model computation and the hash function used to verify the model wights with respect to the hash value. For proof generation, we use arkworks (link). Both the verification key and the proof are formatted in JSON files and passed to our zkScript tool to create locking script and unlocking script respectively. You can find this example use case here: nchain-innovation/zkscript.

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SOURCE nChain

Technology

From China Mobile’s Call Upgrade to the Commercial Launch of “Calling + AI” by Leading Operators: AI Is Reshaping the Value of Native Calling

Published

30 minutes ago

July 25, 2026

BEIJING, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On June 15, 2026, China Mobile announced a comprehensive upgrade to its traditional calling services, ushering in a next-generation calling experience defined by HD, intelligence, and security. This milestone not only marks a major leap in telecommunication innovation but also reflects a global, inevitable shift: the transformation of basic communication into intelligent, inclusive services.

Breaking Experience Barriers and Redefining the Paradigm of Basic Calling

Overcoming the limitations of traditional, voice-only interactions, China Mobile has leveraged its mature VoLTE/VoNR network foundation to deeply integrate AI models with HD audio and video capabilities. Without requiring users to change their phones or SIM cards, seven core AI functions are now seamlessly embedded into the native dialer interface.

These upgrades include Live Captions bridge communication gaps for the elderly and hearing-impaired; HD video calls and AI noise reduction create a crystal-clear, immersive calling experience; AI anti-fraud intercepts high-risk calls in real time to safeguard users’ assets. Furthermore, the introduction of Data Channel (DC) technology and visual call menus transforms standard calls into agile, interactive service windows, enabling multi-party collaboration and seamless business transactions directly within the call. Through this initiative, China Mobile has successfully evolved traditional calls from a mere voice pipeline into a secure, integrated information hub.

“Calling + AI” Becomes a Strategic Consensus Among Global Leading Operators

From a global perspective, China Mobile’s call upgrade is not an isolated milestone, but a microcosm of the global telecommunications industry’s broader transformation. Throughout 2026, major operators worldwide are accelerating the commercial deployment of “Calling + AI” solutions:

Deutsche Telekom launched Magenta AI, leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance calling across all scenarios;T-Mobile US introduced a network-side, real-time translation service covering over 80 languages, effectively breaking down cross-border communication barriers;Saudi stc rolled out English-Arabic bilingual simultaneous interpretation, which has now entered large-scale commercial trials;South Korea’s LG U+ launched its ixi-O intelligent calling assistant, shifting the user experience from passive responses to proactive smart interactions and earning three prestigious GLOMO industry awards.

The synchronized efforts of these global leaders confirm that basic calling services have officially entered a new era of AI integration. Deeply empowered by artificial intelligence, “Calling + AI” has become the definitive blueprint for the intelligent transformation of the global telecommunications industry. As operators continue to refine these native capabilities, the traditional voice network is poised to reclaim its position as the most secure, ubiquitous, and valuable entry point in the AI era.

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SOURCE China Mobile

Technology

Trip.com Group Sincerely Accepts Administrative Penalty Decision Issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People’s Republic of China

Published

4 hours ago

July 25, 2026

SINGAPORE, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trip.com Group Limited (Nasdaq: TCOM; HKEX: 9961) today announced that it has received the administrative penalty decision issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People’s Republic of China.

Trip.com Group sincerely accepts the decision and will adopt rectification measures in accordance with applicable laws and regulations to implement the decision’s requirements. The Company will strengthen its long-term governance mechanisms and strive to contribute to the sustainable development of the travel industry.

Trip.com Group’s management team will host a conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on July 27, 2026 (or 8:00 PM Hong Kong Time on July 27, 2026).

The conference call will be available on Webcast live at: http://investors.trip.com.

All participants must pre-register to join this conference call using the participant registration link below:
https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIb78e08d8f18340c4882a7e4ab961906b.

Upon registration, each participant will receive details for this conference call, including dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN. To join the conference, please dial the number provided, enter your PIN, and you will join the conference instantly.

For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations
Trip.com Group Limited
Email: iremail@trip.com

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SOURCE Trip.com Group Limited

Technology

NAVER Partners with Brookfield and NVIDIA to Expand Korea’s National AI Factory Infrastructure Buildout

Published

5 hours ago

July 25, 2026

SAN FRANCISCO, July 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NAVER, Brookfield and NVIDIA announced an expansion of Korea’s sovereign AI factory infrastructure. New investments will increase the initial NVIDIA DSX™ AI factory deployment from 55 megawatts to 200 megawatts.

Announced during Korea President Jae Myung Lee’s AI Summit visit to San Francisco, the planned 200-megawatt expansion will be built with the NVIDIA DSX platform at NAVER’s GAK Sejong hyperscale data center in Sejong, South Korea. The expanded infrastructure will provide Korea- and U.S.- based AI innovators with access to production-scale AI compute for building next-generation models, agents and AI-powered services.

Under the terms of the agreements, Brookfield will fund up to $9 billion as the exclusive capital partner, NVIDIA will invest $1 billion and NAVER will fund the remaining amount to finance the $10 billion project.

This builds on NAVER’s June announcement to extend its GAK Sejong data center with NVIDIA DSX, with a long-term path to gigawatt-scale sovereign AI infrastructure serving Korea’s enterprises, industries, government organizations and global AI cloud customers. Combining Brookfield’s capital with NVIDIA’s computing platform, the investment supports NAVER’s AI factory deployment.

“NVIDIA’s strategic investment and our infrastructure supply agreement with Brookfield have propelled NAVER’s vision for the AI Factory business into a robust execution phase,” said Haejin Lee, Founder and Chairman of NAVER. “Leveraging the solid partnerships with our global partners, we will drive technological innovation, foster a sovereign AI ecosystem, and spearhead efforts to strengthen South Korea’s AI competitiveness.”

AI Factory Expansion and Open Model Collaboration to Fuel AI Innovators

NAVER, as an NVIDIA Cloud Partner, provides deep expertise in operating hyperscale infrastructure powered by the full-stack NVIDIA AI platform. The 200-megawatt AI factory, featuring NVIDIA Vera Rubin and Blackwell platforms, will establish a dedicated resource pool for emerging AI companies, providing the compute, software and support needed to develop and deploy competitive AI models and applications at scale.

This expanded infrastructure also builds on NAVER and NVIDIA’s collaboration on open model development for agentic and physical AI. NAVER is advancing its HyperCLOVA X models to be based on NVIDIA Nemotron™ 3 Ultra open models with its proprietary data and training expertise. NAVER is also the first Korean company to join the NVIDIA Nemotron Coalition, contributing to open model development across pretraining, post-training and reinforcement learning.

NAVER plans to launch an AI agent platform in Korea in the second half of the year, powered by NVIDIA Agent Toolkit software including NVIDIA NemoClaw™ blueprints. NAVER is also developing a Seoul World Model using proprietary urban street-view and spatial modeling data, built on NVIDIA Cosmos™ world foundation models.

About NAVER

Founded in 1999, NAVER is Korea’s largest Internet company and one of the world’s top tech companies. Leading cutting-edge technologies, NAVER operates the No.1 search engine in Korea and holds various business portfolios encompassing commerce, fintech, cloud, AI and robotics.

NAVER recorded sales of KRW 12.04 trillion (USD 8.18 billion) in 2025. TEAM NAVER continues to enhance its business portfolio and expand its global presence across Japan, North America, and Europe, while pursuing innovation through continuous research and development in future technologies.

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SOURCE NAVER