Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has proposed utilizing Ethereum as a settlement layer for privacy-preserving metered AI API usage. According to NS3.AI, this approach would not involve running AI models on-chain but would instead employ zero-knowledge proofs and deposit-based credits. This system aims to enable users to pay for large volumes of API calls without revealing their identities, addressing the increasing enterprise adoption of AI agents. However, a significant challenge lies in metadata correlation, which could compromise privacy. Additionally, adoption of this system requires overcoming technical, operational, and coordination hurdles.

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