Near Foundation Develops AI Delegates for DAO Voting

The Near Foundation, overseeing the layer-1 Near Protocol, is developing a groundbreaking solution to one of decentralized governance’s most persistent problems: low voter participation. According to Lane Rettig, a researcher at the Near Foundation specializing in AI and governance, the organization is creating artificial intelligence-powered ‘delegates’ that will eventually vote on behalf of its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) members. This initiative represents a fundamental shift in how blockchain governance could operate, moving away from manual voting processes toward automated, intelligent decision-making systems.

The core innovation lies in creating what Rettig describes as a ‘digital twin’ for each user – an AI delegate that learns individual preferences and acts accordingly when making governance decisions. This approach transforms the traditionally cumbersome voting process into what Rettig characterizes as a ‘math problem’ that can ‘happen almost instantly.’ The development addresses a critical challenge facing many protocols, where despite decentralized ideals, participation rates often remain disappointingly low, potentially compromising the legitimacy and effectiveness of governance outcomes.

The rollout of AI-powered governance will follow a carefully structured three-stage implementation plan. The initial phase will feature early models similar to chatbots, providing a foundation for the more sophisticated systems to come. This gradual approach allows for testing, refinement, and community adaptation before moving to more complex implementations. The staged deployment strategy demonstrates the Near Foundation’s commitment to ensuring the technology’s reliability and user acceptance.

Following the chatbot phase, the system will progress to AI delegates representing large groups of DAO members, creating an intermediate step that balances automation with human oversight. The final and most ambitious stage involves deploying personalized AI delegates for each individual DAO member. This comprehensive approach ensures that the technology evolves in complexity and capability while maintaining alignment with user needs and governance requirements throughout the transition.

The AI governance overhaul directly targets the participation crisis that has become typical of many decentralized protocols. By automating the voting process through intelligent delegates, the Near Foundation aims to eliminate barriers that traditionally discourage member involvement, such as time constraints, complexity, and voter fatigue. The system’s ability to learn individual preferences means that even inactive members can have their views represented accurately in governance decisions.

This innovation could significantly impact the broader blockchain ecosystem by setting new standards for governance efficiency and participation. The transformation of voting into instantaneous mathematical calculations represents a paradigm shift from current manual processes, potentially making decentralized governance more responsive and effective. As reported to Cointelegraph, the development is still ongoing, but its potential to address fundamental challenges in DAO operations positions it as a potentially transformative advancement in blockchain governance technology.

The Near Foundation’s approach to AI-powered governance through digital twins represents more than just a technical upgrade – it’s a reimagining of how decentralized organizations can function effectively while maintaining member representation. By combining artificial intelligence with blockchain governance, the foundation is creating a model that could influence how other protocols approach their own participation challenges, potentially setting new benchmarks for what’s possible in decentralized decision-making systems.