Solana Labs adds ChatGPT plugin for blockchain

The Solana Foundation, which backs the blockchain, integrated the plugin this week with an eye on NFTs, a sector where Solana is playing an increasingly prominent role. The chatbot, which is available for download on Github, can not only be used to search for and buy NFTs, it can help transfer tokens as well as simplify the complex data that comes with crypto transactions, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

“All developers building consumer-facing apps should think about how their app will interact with through an AI model, because this is a new paradigm for telling computers what to do,” said Anatoly Yakovenko, one of Solana’s co-founders and CEO of Solana Labs. said in the statement. “AI will make Solana more usable and understandable.”

The Solana plugin has been teased since April, and in a Bloomberg interview earlier this month, co-founder Raj Gokal said it should feel like a personal assistant.

“This is just another step to make it that much easier to interact with the chain and feel like you might be talking to an advisor or a copilot helping you navigate the chain and its assets,” he said.

On Bloomberg TV @rajgokal covered the state #AI, #Solana plugin for ChatGPT, and the future of NFT, among others pic.twitter.com/eFV5oFktS9

— Bo (@bo_opryshko) 17 May 2023

Instead of scanning long documents and complicated transaction data, the plugin will allow users to ask questions like which NFTs they can buy with the SOL tokens in their account, TechCrunch reported.

“We think the blockchain space is way too technical,” Tal Tchwella, Solana Labs’ chief product officer, told the outlet.

The plugin is aimed at making the blockchain more accessible to regular users, but having to download it from Github could be a potential barrier to reaching a wider audience.

Solana has recently raised his ambitions after gaining notoriety in 2022 for his ties to Sam Bankman-Fried. Gokal told Fortune earlier this month that the FTX meltdown was “in the rearview mirror” and that the Solana ecosystem was thriving in part due to new projects and applications.

Gokal told Bloomberg that the blockchain is “still in very early stages,” with its AI integrations, but the Solana Foundation is trying to accelerate this by investing in development programs.

The Solana Foundation also said Tuesday that it has increased its AI-focused strategic grant program to $10 million from the $1 million previously announced. The program has already received about 50 applications, and those who receive grants are likely to be awarded $5,000 to $25,000.

1/ Today Solana Foundation announces a $1 million fund for small-scale grants that explore the intersection of @Solana blockchain and AI.

Grants range from $5k to $25k, and both new and existing projects are eligible.

Learn more 👇

— Solana Foundation (@SolanaFndn) 25 April 2023

SOL, the blockchain’s native cryptocurrency, traded up nearly 2% to around $20 on Tuesday afternoon. The cryptocurrency has doubled since January 1, outperforming Bitcoin and Ether, which are up 64% and 54% respectively over the same period.