AI-Powered Smart Contracts: Transforming Blockchain Accessibility and Democratizing Programming

At the recent Cornell Blockchain Conference in New York City, Emin Gün Sirer, founder of Ava Labs, discussed the potential transformative impact of AI-powered smart contracts, envisioning a future where ordinary people could write smart contracts in their native language, significantly expanding blockchain adoption. Sirer highlighted the challenges of current smart contract programming and proposed AI agents like ChatGPT or Llama to streamline the process. He emphasized the importance of capturing intent and making coding more accessible, suggesting that lawyers could become dominant writers of smart contracts in the future. Sirer's vision involves smart contracts written in natural language, programmed to execute complex instructions, with potential applications in various industries. While challenges remain, such as legal and technical ambiguities, Sirer believes in the transformative power of AI-driven smart contracts to democratise blockchain technology and onboard billions of new users.