Blockchain
Brian Fakhoury (Venture and Research Executive at Mechanism Capital) has shared his insights on Zero-knowledge proofs on Twitter. Fakhoury emphasizes that people like Vitalik Buterin have publicly commented that they’re likely on par with blockchain in terms of ideological importance.
🧵 The logical conclusion to zero knowledge computation.
Zero-knowledge proofs, or ZKPs, are a ridiculous technological breakthrough. People like @VitalikButerin publicly stated that they’re likely to be on par with blockchains in terms ideological importance for this decade.
— Brian Fakhoury (@brianfakhoury) December 11, 2022
Fakhoury described the capabilities of ZKPs. According to Fakhoury, the ZKPs could be split into two superpowers – privacy and compression. Fakhoury points out that this technology can be used on either side.
He turned the applications of ZKPs into a fable adding that if one considers compression like receiving a college degree, the graduation diploma, issued by an “accredited” university, would serve as a form of proof.
A graduate can prove to a third party that he or she has completed years of academic training. The diploma can be used as proof of comprehensive academic training, instead of showing a third party many syllabi or exam scores.
Furthermore, the diploma used in the example can be generalized to be a “receipt,” which is proof of validity that something occurred. A verifier is at risk of being fooled by bogus proofs if the ZKP isn’t entirely math-based (no human trust).
Each zero-knowledge proof system is unique and has its own circuit language. Therefore, ZKPs are virtual computers that can be used to emulate high-level language translators, smart contract platforms and operating system emulators.
Fakhoury also emphasized the importance of looking at the proof language in relation the high-level human programming language, especially if ZKPs users are considering them virtual computers.
Fakhoury concluded the thread by adding that the puck is moving towards ZKP systems. These systems communicate as a standard computer’s and can be programmed directly by anyone who knows compiled languages. “I’ll make an effort to analyze the many consequences that this has.”