Web3 offers the potential to enrich the internet with more security, privacy and user autonomy. This is made possible by blockchain technology, which is already being used in a variety of economic sectors, be it through smart contracts, tokens or crypto and digital currencies. The studies and publications listed here shed light on the properties and possibilities of Web3 and blockchain and their connection to artificial intelligence (AI).

So far, blockchain technology has mainly been used in the crypto sector. However, with increasing regulatory clarity, opportunities are also opening up for the traditional financial industry. In Germany and the EU, measures are therefore being taken to regulate cryptocurrencies and the use of blockchain technology in securities. There are also numerous potential applications in the real economy, for example in the manufacturing industry and in supply chain management.

Blockchain-based applications can improve the quality, transparency and traceability of complex climate protection instruments such as CO2 certificates. The combination of blockchain technology and AI can optimise data processing and enable fairer access to data via corresponding data marketplaces. Start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular can benefit from these synergies, as they have so far been less able to participate in the economic potential of AI due to high market entry barriers and data protection costs. There is a possibility that Europe's technological sovereignty in the age of AI will be strengthened by this connection.

Although cryptocurrencies are often still viewed with suspicion by the public, their increasing legal regulation is leading to greater trust. As a result, their potentially far greater potential in other sectors, such as the integration of blockchain with AI or climate protection, will also become apparent. Here, it has developed from a major energy consumer into an important tool for the traceability of climate protection measures and sustainability reporting. These developments are promising and mark just the beginning.