Erik Voorhees Unveils Privacy-Centric AI Platform ‘Venice’

• Erik Voorhees, founder of ShapeShift, introduces Venice AI, a privacy-focused AI chatbot platform.
• Venice AI aims to address privacy concerns in the cryptocurrency and AI industries.
• The platform does not store user data or have access to user conversations, ensuring user privacy.

Erik Voorhees, the ShapeShift founder, unveils Venice AI, a privacy-focused AI chatbot platform that aims to address privacy concerns in the cryptocurrency and AI industries.

Voorhees Shifts Focus Towards AI

In 2014, Voorhees launched the ShapeShift cryptocurrency exchange. However, in July 2021, the exchange transitioned into an open-source decentralized exchange (DEX) after a battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This led Voorhees to shift his focus towards building a permissionless, decentralized AI model.

Introducing Venice AI

Venice AI, the latest venture from Erik Voorhees, prioritizes user privacy. It does not store user data or have access to user conversations. Instead, user input is sent through an encrypted proxy server to a decentralized GPU, which runs the AI model and returns the answer. This process ensures security and anonymity. Venice AI’s model is designed to be substantially better than the current status quo, where centralized companies store and retain user conversations tied to their identities.

Venice Pro Offers Enhanced Features

While creating an account offers certain advantages, users can access additional features by subscribing to a Venice Pro account. Priced at $49 annually, Venice Pro provides unlimited text prompts, removes watermarks from generated images and document uploads, and allows users to turn off Safe Mode for unrestricted image generation. Voorhees confirmed that Venice AI will soon accept digital currencies for Venice Pro subscriptions.

Conclusion

Venice AI is a significant step towards addressing privacy concerns in the AI industry. By not storing user data and offering a decentralized model, the platform provides a viable alternative to the current status quo. With the introduction of Venice Pro, users can also access enhanced features, making the platform even more appealing. As the platform continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it shapes the future of AI and privacy.