Snips AIR: an open source, private, blockchain-based alternative to Amazon Echo (opens in new tab)

(vimeo.com)

13 pointsmfester8y ago21 comments

21 comments

16 comments · 5 top-level

StavrosK8y ago· 6 in thread

I've always wanted a trustless, decentralized, proof-of-work-based alternative to proprietary devices like Alexa and Google Home.

Oh, wait, I didn't. What I've wanted is some nice open hardware with a good ML model for recognizing speech. I don't know what a blockchain is doing here.

mfesterOP8y ago

And I do invite you to try out our voice platform, running 100% on-device on Raspberry Pi 3 or equivalent (and soon MCUs). We're on par with Amazon, Google et al. in terms of performance:

- https://makers.snips.ai/

- https://github.com/snipsco/snips-nlu

- https://medium.com/snips-ai/snips-nlu-is-an-open-source-priv...

api8y ago

This demonstrates nicely that the "we need the cloud to do good voice analytics" argument is baloney. Local voice recognition is perfectly do-able, especially on today's hardware with today's cheap storage. They need the cloud to do bulk surveillance.

StavrosK8y ago

Oh I know, I've tried it and that's why I like what you guys have been doing. The missing piece of the puzzle is a decent hardware kit, but putting a blockchain on any of this is completely unnecessary.

1 more reply

api8y ago

How to determine if you need a block chain:

(1) Are you building a fully decentralized global ledger for use by multiple parties that do not share a common basis of trust?

If YES: Congratulations! You might need a block chain.

If NO: You do not need a block chain.

There are no more questions. :)

StavrosK8y ago

Exactly, and when there's a use case for a blockchain that isn't "building a trustless currency", I'd love to know, because everything else I've heard would be better suited by a database on a server.

1 more reply

rhindi8y ago

It started as we wanted to avoid using credit cards and thus having to identify users (the whole point of this new product is 100% privacy). The token will be user to run a TCR-like appstore on the consumer side, and to incentivize people to participate in federated learning developer side.

1 more reply

mfesterOP8y ago· 3 in thread

Hi! I am co-founder of Snips (https://www.snips.ai), and happy to share a big announcement with you: in the end of 2019, we will start shipping Snips AIR (https://air.snips.ai), the first open source, private by design voice assistant running on the blockchain! If you want to learn more, we are hosting a livestream Q&A session tomorrow Wednesday, May 30th at 6pm CET, with my co-founder, Rand Hindi. Let us know you'll be there by filling this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8n6ER5OrSBH_w5kwp..., and we will send the link to the livestream prior to the event.

pilingual8y ago

Wait what? I upvoted your previous announcement a few days ago but I didn’t dig in.

Why is this blockchain based? This sounds incongruous.

acoye8y ago

Chain of trust for software update/delivery from what I understand. Nothing good ol' RSA signing could not solve if that is the case.

bluehatbrit8y ago

I came to ask the same thing, I don't understand what part of the core offering (voice assistant) requires the block chain. I can see how you might be able to shoehorn it in there, but it doesn't seem very practical or useful for customers. There's also very little about its use on the website.

1 more reply

SheinhardtWigCo8y ago· 1 in thread

This is just another token scam.

rhindi8y ago

I can guarantee it is not! We are a VC backed, 60 people AI team from Europe, having worked on AI for a few years. This is a new product we are launching next year

acoye8y ago· 1 in thread

"[…] Download features from the OpenSkillStore, based on the blockchain"

I wonder, does it work with a contract on a public blockchain like ethereum or does it run on Snips's own blockchain?

If so is there a white / yellow paper we can dig into?

rhindi8y ago

Hey! We are publishing the whitepaper in a few weeks. We use a blockchain in a number of places, both on the consumer side for the skills marketplace, and on the developer side for federated learning.

rhindi8y ago

Hi everyone!

I am a co-founder at Snips. This is a new product we are working on, which is due for next year

You can read more about it here https://medium.com/snips-ai/snips-air-a-private-by-design-op...

We will be publishing our whitepaper in the coming weeks, and are welcoming any feedback!

Cheers

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

21 comments

16 comments · 5 top-level

StavrosK8y ago· 6 in thread

I've always wanted a trustless, decentralized, proof-of-work-based alternative to proprietary devices like Alexa and Google Home.

Oh, wait, I didn't. What I've wanted is some nice open hardware with a good ML model for recognizing speech. I don't know what a blockchain is doing here.

mfesterOP8y ago

And I do invite you to try out our voice platform, running 100% on-device on Raspberry Pi 3 or equivalent (and soon MCUs). We're on par with Amazon, Google et al. in terms of performance:

- https://makers.snips.ai/

- https://github.com/snipsco/snips-nlu

- https://medium.com/snips-ai/snips-nlu-is-an-open-source-priv...

api8y ago

StavrosK8y ago

1 more reply

api8y ago

How to determine if you need a block chain:

(1) Are you building a fully decentralized global ledger for use by multiple parties that do not share a common basis of trust?

If YES: Congratulations! You might need a block chain.

If NO: You do not need a block chain.

There are no more questions. :)

StavrosK8y ago

1 more reply

rhindi8y ago

1 more reply

mfesterOP8y ago· 3 in thread

pilingual8y ago

Wait what? I upvoted your previous announcement a few days ago but I didn’t dig in.

Why is this blockchain based? This sounds incongruous.

acoye8y ago

Chain of trust for software update/delivery from what I understand. Nothing good ol' RSA signing could not solve if that is the case.

bluehatbrit8y ago

1 more reply

SheinhardtWigCo8y ago· 1 in thread

This is just another token scam.

rhindi8y ago

I can guarantee it is not! We are a VC backed, 60 people AI team from Europe, having worked on AI for a few years. This is a new product we are launching next year

acoye8y ago· 1 in thread

"[…] Download features from the OpenSkillStore, based on the blockchain"

I wonder, does it work with a contract on a public blockchain like ethereum or does it run on Snips's own blockchain?

If so is there a white / yellow paper we can dig into?

rhindi8y ago

Hi everyone!

I am a co-founder at Snips. This is a new product we are working on, which is due for next year

You can read more about it here https://medium.com/snips-ai/snips-air-a-private-by-design-op...

We will be publishing our whitepaper in the coming weeks, and are welcoming any feedback!

Cheers

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse