Erik Voorhees embodies the intersection of cryptocurrency and AI. He has been a pivotal figure in both fields since 2012 when he introduced the blockchain gambling game Satoshi Dice, which handled a significant portion of Bitcoin transactions.

Currently, Voorhees is at the forefront of merging these technologies through his decentralized exchange, ShapeShift. He has recently launched Venice.AI, aimed at promoting 'unfettered civilizational advancement'. In an announcement made on May 10, he described Venice as a tool akin to ChatGPT or Claude but claims it offers a more open platform free from censorship or ideological constraints.

Voorhees stated, "Venice offers an unconstrained alternative, allowing genuine discussions without impositions of bias or political narrative."

Surprisingly, Venice has been operational almost immediately, enabling users to create uncensored content. It functions seamlessly on the Morpheus network, and, as stated by Voorhees, users can access Venice within five seconds, from any device worldwide.

This profile is part of CoinDesk's Most Influential 2024 segment. Click here for details on this year’s nominees.