Workshop - 15th April 2025 - Remote

Data Points

Quantum computing expected to rapidly advance — critical threat and opportunity.
AI-driven societal change:
- Major workforce displacement expected → urgent need for new economic opportunities.
- Transition period will be turbulent before AI creates net value.
Increased demand for self-sovereign data and identity → privacy and data control vital.
Decrease in trust in existing governance structures and between countries → opening space for blockchain-based trust systems.
Cultural norms and implicit institutions will remain slow to change, despite rapid tech shifts.

Incentive systems: develop more granular systems for incentivizing work, contributions, and decentralized value creation.
Localised economies:
- Support peer-to-peer (P2P) commerce to help displaced workers and create new global income streams.
- Enable community-based loyalty programs and point systems that can scale globally.
Transparent voting & elections:
- Huge opportunity for blockchain to enable transparent, trusted elections — strong citizen demand, but political resistance likely.
Education & upskilling:
- Support mass education efforts to help people reskill for AI-driven and blockchain-driven economies.
- Blockchain can provide verifiable credentials for new skill pathways.
Gaming:
- Early successful adoption in blockchain-based games where users are unaware they are using blockchain — valuable model for broader adoption.
- Potential for asset ownership and cross-game economies.
Supply chain & authenticity tracking:
- Strong fit for blockchain in tracking provenance and ensuring verifiable authenticity of goods.

Poor UX → blockchain apps still too difficult to use for mainstream audiences.
Onboarding to Web3 → entry points are unclear and fragmented.
Government resistance:
- Governments and large companies will actively resist blockchain systems that reduce their power.
- Expect regulatory pushback, especially as blockchain starts touching money and governance.
Trust building is essential:
- Public trust in blockchain is fragile — must overcome history of scams and poor projects.
- Cardano should differentiate as a trustworthy, sustainable, long-term player.
Too many blockchain options:
- Users are overwhelmed by choices → Cardano must position as a clear, reliable, reputable option.
Legal & compliance hurdles:
- In regions like Nigeria, legal blockers and unclear compliance standards hinder adoption.
L1 scalability still a blocker for future transaction volumes.

Reputation systems & sybil resistance:
- Current reputation systems not sufficient to prevent plutocracy or centralization by large stakers.
- Need more nuanced governance tooling to balance power and incentivize participation.
L2 + L1 balance:
- Layer 2 solutions are essential to achieving product-market fit and transaction volume growth.
- L1 must be prepared to scale in parallel and support growing L2 ecosystems.
- Clear need for a roadmap to decide what belongs on L1 vs L2.
Cardano should focus its messaging:
- Cardano L1 should be promoted as enterprise-grade infrastructure — secure, reliable, immutable.
- Consumers don't need to know they're using blockchain — good abstraction improves UX.
- Builders and developers should be a key target audience.

Participants appreciate collaborative, small-group discussions — they foster deeper insights.
Recognition that governance transparency is a double-edged sword — politicians and institutions may resist open systems.
A key goal is to make Cardano governance accessible and trusted, with a focus on long-term institutional engagement.

AI and quantum computing will reshape economies and governance in the next 5–10 years → blockchain has a vital role to play in providing trust, transparency, and new economic pathways.
Cardano should focus on:
- Local and global P2P commerce,
- Transparent voting,
- Supply chain tracking,
- Gaming adoption,
- Identity & data self-sovereignty,
- and education for an AI-driven future.
Mass adoption barriers must be addressed urgently:
- UX, onboarding, legal clarity, trust building, and scalability.
Cardano’s messaging must evolve to focus on its enterprise-grade trustworthiness and ecosystem value — not just L1 branding.

Last updated 1 month ago