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Google Cloud Joins EOS Blockchain Network as a Block Producer Candidate

Google Cloud will join the EOS community and has begun the process of becoming a block producer candidate for Block.one’s EOS network.

According to an email shared with Blockchain.News on Oct 6, tech giant Google’s hyperscale cloud and infrastructure provider, Google Cloud, is set to join the EOS community and is taking steps to become a block producer for the public blockchain network built on the EOSIO blockchain protocol.

What is a Block Producer?

Block producers are a core component of the EOS network. According to the EOS white paper, the blocks in the EOS.IO software will be produced by 21 producers which are called “Block Producers”. EOS architecture uses Delegated Proof of Stake (DPOS), which creates blocks through trusted accounts (also called “trustees”) that are selected by the community. The features of DPOS include short block production time, high efficiency and almost no chance of forking.

All the EOS token holders in the EOS mainnet vote for 21 trusted accounts to make decisions for them and act as Block Producer. The top 21 Block Producer Candidates with the most votes are selected as Block Producers.

Having a giant of technological innovation like Google Cloud apply to become a block producer on a public blockchain network like EOS underscores the importance of blockchain to the future of business, government and society.

Allen Day, Developer Advocate for Google Cloud confirmed the application for block producer candidacy. He said:

“As organizations begin to incorporate distributed ledger technology into their infrastructures, we are committed to ensuring that the information on public blockchains are securely stored, reliably available, and can be accessed in meaningful ways.”

As mentioned, as a block producer candidate, Google Cloud will need to be selected by token holders to secure a position within the block producer ranks on the EOS network.

Brendan Blumer, CEO of Block.one expressed his excitement in having the opportunity to assess Google’s candidacy. Blumer said:

“The Google Cloud team understands the thriving EOS community and the highly performant EOSIO technology on which it builds create the best entry point into the blockchain industry. We welcome Google Cloud to the EOS community and are excited for their contributions to the EOS network.”

In joining the EOS community Google Cloud will provide its highly provisioned, low-latency infrastructure to Block.one. Dan Larimer, CTO at Block.one explained:

“Through secure oracles, inter-chain transaction reporting, key management, and high-integrity full-node validation, Google Cloud’s confidential computing infrastructure will enhance the security, scalability, and decentralization of blockchain technology.”

Google Creates Web3 Team to Take Advantage of Growing Crypto Popularity

To set the ball rolling in Web3, Google is assembling a team to create services for developers in this ecosystem through its cloud unit, according to CNBC.

Through an email, Amit Zavery, the vice president at Google Cloud, noted that the objective was to make the Google Cloud Platform the most preferred by developers in Web3. He wrote:

“While the world is still early in its embrace of Web3, it is a market that is already demonstrating tremendous potential with many customers asking us to increase our support for Web3 and Crypto related technologies.”

Therefore, Google seeks to tap the potential presented by the crypto space, given that Web3 Pioneers have developed peer-to-peer and decentralized systems intended to transform the internet.

As a new iteration of the World Wide Web-based on blockchain technology, Web3 aims to incorporate token-based economics and decentralization concepts.

With Google battling for market share in cloud infrastructure against Amazon, Alibaba, and Microsoft, the tech giant intends to provide back-end services to developers eyeing their own Web3 software.

Zavery pointed out:

“We’re not trying to be part of that cryptocurrency wave directly. We’re providing technologies for companies to use and take advantage of the distributed nature of Web3 in their current businesses and enterprises.”

Therefore, the in-house team shows Google’s commitment to the crypto market.

Steve Cooper, Warner Music Group CEO, opined that Web3 would revamp the music industry. He added:

“From collectibles to music royalties, Web3 represents an exciting future for the music industry that will help our artists reach millions upon millions of new fans in interesting and innovative ways.”

Crypto exchange KuCoin recently rolled out a $100 million “Creators Fund” to propel the Web3 ecosystem and support early-stage non-fungible token (NFT) projects, Blockchain.News reported. Concerted efforts like these are crucial toward the development of the Web3.0 space which at present is still in its nascent stages.

BNB Chain Partners with Google Cloud to Enhance Web3 DApps

Layer-1 blockchain technology, BNB Chain, has announced its partnership with Google Clouds, a collaboration that will see decentralized applications and smart contracts hosted on the protocol gain access to the cloud service provider’s infrastructures.

While there is a growth in the number of decentralized cloud infrastructure service providers in the blockchain world, centralized alternatives still have some competitive advantage over protocols looking to host their servers. As a major player in the cloud infrastructure world, Google Clouds has somewhat been less visible when compared to Amazon Web Services (AWS) amongst crypto firms.

The partnership between BNB Chain and Google Cloud is a strategic cooperation and will see as many as 1500 DApps residents on the former utilize the cloud’s advanced analytics for on-chain data. Per the terms of the partnership, “about 150 projects under a BNB-focused accelerator program will also get ‘accelerated access’ to Google Cloud’s startup support program.”

“Google Cloud is a very good Web2 player and has really done a lot of Web3 stuff. It’s important for us to just work with big players who have big visions, and we share the same DNA and same visions,” said Gwendolyn Regina, investment director of BNB Chain.

The Google Cloud and BNB Chain partnership is not a new thing, given that many tech giants nowadays are exploring avenues to link up with active players in the space. Back in October 2020, Google Cloud joined the EOS blockchain as a block producer candidate.

Besides the active engagement on the part of Google Cloud, other major players, including Microsoft Azure and AWS, also have highly acclaimed partnerships with exchanges and protocols. In one of such deals, Crypto.com revealed it adopted AWS as its cloud service of choice for scalability and security back in December 2020 as it looks to establish its footholds in the ecosystem at the time.

Google Pairs with Coinbase to Spur Web3 Innovations, Offer Crypto Payments for Cloud Services

Google has teamed up with crypto exchange Coinbase to allow some of its clients to pay for cloud services using cryptocurrencies.

The strategic partnership also seeks to cater for the needs of the growing Web3 ecosystem. For instance, developers will have the chance to reliably and instantly operate Web3 networks, eliminating the need for complex and expensive infrastructure.

The collaboration will also see Google Cloud serve as Coinbase’s strategic cloud provider to boost enhanced exchange and data services. Per the report:

“Coinbase will use Google Cloud’s powerful compute platform to process blockchain data at scale, and enhance the global reach of its crypto services by leveraging Google’s premium fiber-optic network.”

Furthermore, Coinbase’s clients will leverage Google Cloud’s data and analytics technologies for machine learning-driven crypto insights.

Brian Armstrong, the CEO and co-founder of Coinbase, welcomed the strategic collaboration and said, “We are excited Google Cloud has selected Coinbase to help bring Web3 to a new set of users and provide powerful solutions to developers.”:

“With more than 100 million verified users and 14,500 institutional clients, Coinbase has spent more than a decade building industry-leading products on top of blockchain technology. We could not ask for a better partner to help execute our vision of building a trusted bridge into the Web3 ecosystem.”

On his part, Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud CEO, noted that the partnership would be a stepping stone toward creating an easier and faster Web3.

He said that this would happen in a frictionless way because developers would take advantage of the data services, security, reliability, and scalability rendered.

Kurian added:

“We’re proud Coinbase has chosen Google Cloud as its strategic cloud partner, and we’re ready to serve the thriving global Web3 customer and partner ecosystem.”

Google set the ball rolling in Web3 after it assembled a team to create services for developers earlier this year.

Google sought to tap the potential presented by the crypto space, given that Web3 Pioneers have developed peer-to-peer and decentralized systems intended to transform the internet, Blockchain.News reported.

OKX and Google Cloud Host Successful Hackathon for Decentralized Applications on OKT Chain

VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES, April 5th, 2023, Chainwire

OKX, the second largest crypto exchange by trading volume and a leading Web3 technology company, has teamed up with Google Cloud to host the OKX Hackathon to drive growth and innovation of the blockchain ecosystem. The three-day event, held in Silicon Valley, aimed to encourage developers to build decentralized applications on OKT Chain, a leading layer 1 blockchain built on Cosmos.

Over 200 attendees joined the hackathon, forming 46 teams and submitting 32 projects that showcased the potential of decentralized, blockchain-based applications to transform various industries.

The OKX Hackathon also aimed to build awareness of OKT Chain’s technology and infrastructure among the wider blockchain community. By bringing together like-minded individuals with a shared interest in blockchain technology, the event helped to foster a vibrant and engaged community of developers that can promote the growth of the OKT Chain ecosystem.

Meet the Winners

The top five projects were awarded prizes based on their innovation, utility, and potential to positively change the industry. The winning teams were as follows:

Lite OKX bridge

For many game and NFT users, a single purchase rarely exceeds $25. Existing bridges are focused on large payments, which makes them redundant in terms of security and with a high entry threshold (from $30-50). This project proposed technical solutions for bridging small payments, and aims to lower the entry threshold for those who want to explore the OKT Chain ecosystem.

Thanks to the Lite OKX bridge, users will be able to transfer $2-5 from USDT on Polygon to OKTC in 1-2 minutes without commissions. This will allow them to access all projects on OKTC in one click. Thanks to the SDK, sites will be able to natively support this bridge and the user won’t have to leave the site.

Hexlink

The Hexlink platform offers a significant benefit by eliminating the need for users to set up a wallet before receiving tokens. Hexlink makes OKT Chain more user-friendly and accessible as it eliminates a barrier to entry for potential users who may not be familiar with the process of setting up a wallet. It also provides greater flexibility and convenience for users who can set up their accounts and wallets at a later time, when it is more convenient for them. This approach encourages more individuals to participate in activities on OKT Chain, thus driving the user adoption of the chain.

OKX Guardian

OKX Guardian was inspired by the need for a more secure and transparent way of managing a person’s digital assets after their passing. While some may opt for a lawyer to handle their will and distribute their crypto assets, there are inherent risks in entrusting private keys to a third party. In the event of a security breach, the private keys could be compromised, putting the entire estate at risk. OKX Guardian proposed a decentralized and trustless solution, ensuring that the wishes of the deceased are executed without any reliance on a single individual or institution.

Web3 Ads

A lack of transparency in the advertising marketplace due to intermediaries increases costs for both advertisers and publishers and leads to inefficiencies, distrust, and potential ad fraud. This project proposed smart contracts to make it possible for advertisers and publishers to use OKT Chain to buy and sell directly without intermediaries.

Petreat

Every year, 6.5 million dogs, cats, and other former pets are abandoned or lost and enter shelters. Of all these animals, only 3.2 million are adopted, and many see shelters again after less than a year of finding a new home. In order to provide suitable conditions for animals, shelters need regular donations.

Petreat collects donations from supporters and sends this amount to shelters in need. The project was developed with the belief that a reward system is also crucial to motivate and thank donors for their support. Petreat added a NFT reward system so that supporters receive a unique NFT in return for doing a good deed.

Top teams at the Hackathon received OKX tokens, Google Cloud credits, and other rewards. Senior executives from OKX and Google Cloud praised the participants for their hard work and innovation and encouraged them to continue exploring the possibilities of decentralized applications on the OKT Chain.

OKX and Google Cloud’s partnership in organizing the hackathon underscores their commitment to fostering innovation and creating a more decentralized future.

About OKX

OKX is the second largest global crypto exchange by trading volume and a leading Web3 ecosystem. Trusted by more than 50 million global users, OKX is known for being the fastest and most reliable crypto trading app for investors and professional traders everywhere.

OKX’s leading self-custody solutions include the Web3-compatible OKX Wallet, which allows users greater control of their assets while expanding access to DEXs, NFT marketplaces, DeFi, GameFi and thousands of dApps.

OKX partners with a number of the world’s top brands and athletes, including: English Premier League champions Manchester City F.C., McLaren Formula 1, The Tribeca Festival, golfer Ian Poulter, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.

OKX is committed to transparency and security and publishes its Proof of Reserves on a monthly basis.

To learn more about OKX, visit: okx.com

About OKT Chain

OKT Chain is an EVM- and IBC-compatible L1 built on Cosmos with a focus on true interoperability and maximized performance. At high scalability, developers can build and scale with low gas fees. The OKT Chain ecosystem and infrastructure, including the all-in-one multi-chain Web3 interface, enables a seamless experience for both developers and users.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud supports customers’ needs in building, transacting, storing value, and deploying new products on blockchain-based platforms. Customers choose Google Cloud to build on the industry’s cleanest cloud, to develop on Google’s world-class developer platform, and to ensure that data, applications, games, or digital assets like NFTs will be delivered on a stable, secure and trusted global network.

Contact

OKXmedia@okx.com

Polygon and Google Cloud Partner for Ethereum Scaling Tools

Polygon Labs and Google Cloud have announced a multi-year partnership aimed at enhancing the development of Ethereum scaling protocol’s infrastructure and tools. The partnership was unveiled at Consensus 2023 and is expected to provide a significant boost to the Ethereum ecosystem.

Polygon’s core protocols, including Polygon proof-of-stake (PoS), Polygon zkEVM and Polygon Supernets, are set to benefit from Google Cloud’s framework and developer tools. The collaboration aims to simplify developer integration to build, launch and grow Web3 products and decentralized applications (DApps) on Polygon.

As part of the partnership, Google Cloud’s Blockchain Node Engine will be used by the Polygon ecosystem to assist with time-intensive processes and costly overheads of acquiring, maintaining and operating dedicated blockchain nodes. This specific integration intends to remove the need for Polygon developers to configure and run Polygon PoS nodes.

The Polygon zkEVM beta, an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) scaling solution, was launched to mainnet in March 2023, powering reduced transaction costs and increased throughput of smart contract deployments. Google Cloud’s partnership with the ecosystem is expected to advance Polygon’s zero-knowledge development. Testing of Polygon zkEVM’s zero-knowledge proofs on Google Cloud reportedly resulted in faster and cheaper transactions compared to the existing infrastructure available.

The partnership is aimed at simplifying the development process for Web3 products and DApps, and advancing the growth of the Ethereum ecosystem. It is also expected to promote the adoption of blockchain technology by enabling developers to create more efficient, cost-effective and scalable decentralized applications.

Polygon has established itself as a leading player in the Ethereum ecosystem, providing scaling solutions and infrastructure to help developers build and launch DApps. With the help of Google Cloud’s advanced tools and infrastructure, Polygon is poised to further expand its offerings and provide even greater value to its users.

In conclusion, the partnership between Polygon Labs and Google Cloud represents a significant step forward for the Ethereum ecosystem, and is expected to have far-reaching implications for the development and adoption of blockchain technology. With the backing of one of the world’s leading cloud computing providers, Polygon is well-positioned to continue driving innovation and growth in the Web3 space.

Google Cloud and Polygon Labs partner for Ethereum scaling

At the Consensus 2023 conference, Polygon Labs and Google Cloud made the announcement of a multi-year partnership with the intention of developing and improving the tools and infrastructure associated with the Ethereum scaling protocol. As part of the cooperation, Google Cloud will make a framework and developer tools available to Polygon in order to facilitate the creation of Web3 products and decentralized apps (DApps) on Polygon.

The deployment of Google Cloud’s architecture and development tools is expected to be beneficial to Polygon’s key protocols, such as Polygon proof-of-stake (PoS), Polygon zkEVM, and Polygon Supernets. Through this partnership, we hope to simplify the process of integrating developers, which will in turn make it simpler to construct, launch, and grow DApps on Polygon.

Additionally, it is anticipated that the partnership with Google Cloud will accelerate the development of Polygon’s zero-knowledge system. In comparison to the currently available infrastructure, it has been revealed that the testing of Polygon zkEVM’s zero-knowledge proofs on Google Cloud has resulted in transactions that are both quicker and less expensive.

An Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) scaling solution known as Polygon zkEVM beta was released to the mainnet in March of 2023. This technology is intended to enable decreased transaction costs and higher throughput in the implementation of smart contracts. The Polygon ecosystem intends to do away with the need that Polygon developers install and operate Polygon PoS nodes with the support of the Blockchain Node Engine that is offered by Google Cloud. This will assist with operations that are labor-intensive and need a lot of time, as well as the expensive overheads of purchasing, maintaining, and running specialized blockchain nodes.

In conclusion, the cooperation between Google Cloud and Polygon Labs aims to advance the tools and infrastructure of the Ethereum scaling protocol, as well as to ease developer integration in order to construct, launch, and expand Web3 products and DApps on Polygon. The integration of Google Cloud’s framework and development tools is predicted to be beneficial to Polygon’s fundamental protocols. Additionally, the testing of Polygon zkEVM’s zero-knowledge proofs on Google Cloud is anticipated to result in transactions that are both quicker and less expensive.

Wendy's Launches AI Drive-Thru Chatbot

Wendy’s has announced a partnership with Google Cloud to launch an AI chatbot called “Wendy’s FreshAI” that will take orders from drive-thru customers. Over 75% of Wendy’s customers prefer to place their orders via drive-thru, making this an important area for the fast-food chain to focus on.

The chatbot will use natural language processing to understand what customers are saying and then generate a response using machine learning algorithms. This technology is already used by AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which has demonstrated impressive abilities in generating human-like responses.

According to a statement from Google Cloud, the use of an AI chatbot to service drive-thru customers has the potential to revolutionize the fast-food industry. This technology has the potential to reduce wait times, increase order accuracy, and improve overall customer satisfaction.

Wendy’s CEO and president Todd Penegor has said that the chatbot will be “very conversational” and customers “won’t know they’re talking to anybody but an employee.” This level of conversational ability will be important in creating a seamless and enjoyable customer experience.

This partnership with Google Cloud is just the latest example of how AI and machine learning are being used in the fast-food industry. Other chains like McDonald’s and Burger King have also been experimenting with AI-powered technology to streamline their operations and improve customer experience.

Overall, the use of AI chatbots like “Wendy’s FreshAI” has the potential to significantly improve the drive-thru experience for customers, while also providing cost savings and operational efficiencies for fast-food chains. As this technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more and more AI-powered solutions in the food service industry.

Google Cloud Becomes Validator on Polygon's PoS Network

On September 29, 2023, Google Cloud made a significant move by joining Polygon’s Proof of Stake (PoS) network as a validator. The development was confirmed by both Polygon Labs and Google Cloud Singapore through their respective Twitter accounts. Google Cloud will utilize the same infrastructure that powers its flagship services, such as YouTube and Gmail, to contribute to the security and governance of Polygon’s network.

Google Cloud’s entry into Polygon’s PoS network is a milestone for multiple reasons. First, it adds a layer of institutional credibility to the network, which already boasts over 100 validators. Google Cloud is renowned for its high-quality, secure, and reliable services, making it a valuable addition to the validator set. This is particularly important for enhancing the security protocols for Heimdall, Bor, and Polygon PoS users.

In the Polygon PoS network, validators are entities that produce new blocks and confirm transactions. They play a crucial role in maintaining the network’s integrity and security. Validators are chosen based on the amount of MATIC tokens they have staked as collateral. The more MATIC staked, the higher the chances of being chosen to validate transactions and create new blocks.

Polygon’s PoS network has a diverse range of validators, each contributing to the network’s collective security and governance. According to the latest data from Polygon’s staking technology website, Staked leads with 47,714,780.75 MATIC staked. Infosys follows with 20,927,642.45 MATIC. Other notable validators include Ethermon Validator with 21,413,514.21 MATIC and Worldpay from FIS with 14,524,984.72 MATIC staked. Google Cloud’s stake is comparatively modest but significant, with 25,391.67 MATIC staked at a commission rate of 100%.

Polygon Labs has provided a dashboard accessible at Polygon’s staking technology website. This dashboard allows anyone to monitor the performance and checkpoint signatures of all validators, offering a transparent view into the network’s operations.

Google Unveils IP Indemnity for Generative AI Users

On October 13, 2023, Google Cloud’s VP Legal, Neal Suggs, and VP of TI Security & CISO, Phil Venables, unveiled an industry-first two-pronged intellectual property (IP) indemnity initiative aimed at safeguarding users of its generative AI services from potential legal ramifications concerning copyright infringements. This decisive step manifests Google’s committed approach toward ensuring its customer’s legal security amidst the evolving generative AI landscape, aligning itself with the likes of Microsoft and Adobe who have previously announced similar protective measures.

The indemnity scheme is bifurcated into two distinct segments – Training Data Indemnity and Generated Output Indemnity, each addressing different aspects of IP concerns that may arise from utilizing generative AI technologies provided by Google Cloud.

Under this provision, Google reassures its users against any third-party IP claims arising from the training data employed to develop generative models utilized by Google’s AI services. This isn’t a novel protection but a reinforcement of Google’s ongoing commitment towards indemnifying users against IP infringement allegations related to the training data.

Extending the protective umbrella, this segment covers the output generated by customers while using Google’s AI services. In essence, if the generated content, produced in response to customer inputs, triggers any third-party IP claims, Google vows to assume the legal responsibility, provided the users haven’t intentionally infringed upon others’ rights.

This initiative emanates from a proactive stance to mitigate the risks associated with the burgeoning field of generative AI. The products encompassed under this indemnity include Duet AI in Workspace and Google Cloud, Vertex AI Search, Vertex AI Conversation, Vertex AI Text Embedding API, Visual Captioning on Vertex AI, and Codey APIs. However, the Bard search tool was notably absent from this list.

The indemnity structure is not just a protective shield but also an invitation for open discourse with customers to understand and address other potential use-case-specific coverage necessities.

Similar to Google, Microsoft has also pledged to assume legal onus for their respective enterprise users.