

Illia Polosukhin
Veteran AI researcher and one of the original authors of the Transformer paper, Attention is All You Need. Focused on building open-source infrastructure, tools, and products for Agentic, privacy-preserving AI systems at NEAR AI.
Top 10 podcasts with Illia Polosukhin
Ranked by the Snipd community

123 snips
Jul 17, 2025 • 49min
Building Open Infrastructure for AI with Illia Polosukhin
Illia Polosukhin, a veteran AI researcher and co-author of the Transformer paper, discusses his journey toward open-source AI at NEAR AI. He delves into the proliferation of user-owned AI and the ethical dimensions of combining AI with blockchain technology. Polosukhin highlights the importance of decentralized marketplaces, trusted execution environments, and secure GPU inference for maintaining privacy. He also critiques conventional AI hosting models, advocating for community-driven solutions to enhance transparency and security in AI infrastructure.

120 snips
Sep 13, 2025 • 1h 33min
User-Owned AI: On-Chain Training, Inference, and Agents, with NEAR's Illia Polosukhin
Illia Polosukhin, co-author of the influential 'Attention Is All You Need' paper and founder of NEAR, shares his bold vision for user-owned, privacy-focused AI. He discusses NEAR’s cutting-edge blockchain infrastructure that prioritizes decentralized model training and privacy through NVIDIA’s confidential computing. The conversation highlights the importance of trust mechanisms, economic security in AI, and the potential for blockchain to empower users in AI governance. Illia calls for community engagement in creating transparent practices for a future where AI truly belongs to everyone.

111 snips
Apr 16, 2025 • 1h 2min
AI and the End of Apps (with NEAR)
Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR and co-author of the 'transformers' paper, shares insights on the revolutionary convergence of AI and crypto. He explores the concept of user-owned AI and its potential to replace traditional apps, emphasizing decentralized control. The conversation also delves into AI's evolution, from fascination to functionality, and its balance with human interactions. Moreover, he discusses the geopolitical implications of AI sovereignty and NEAR's innovative approach to scalability in blockchain technology.

101 snips
Sep 30, 2025 • 1h 5min
The Decentralized Future of Private AI with Illia Polosukhin - #749
Illia Polosukhin, co-author of the groundbreaking 'Attention Is All You Need' paper and co-founder of Near AI, dives into the intersection of decentralization and private AI. He shares his journey from Google to revolutionizing blockchain with the NEAR Protocol. Topics include confidential computing for user data protection and the risks of AI centralization. Illia emphasizes a trust-building approach through open model training and formal verification. He also explores tokenized incentives for data contributions and the future of privacy in AI deployment.

62 snips
Oct 25, 2025 • 1h 28min
A Positive Vision for the Future: Part 2 with Illia Polosukhin of NEAR
Illia Polosukhin, co-author of "Attention Is All You Need" and founder of NEAR Protocol, shares visionary insights on AI's future. He discusses how AI coding empowers anyone to create personal automation and transforms job roles. Illia envisions a unified AI OS and the rise of niche communities in an AI-driven world. He emphasizes the need for ethical governance models, user-owned AI, and the importance of transparency in AI training. This engaging conversation explores the complex relationship between technology, society, and governance.

41 snips
Sep 12, 2025 • 58min
Illia Polosukhin: Fixing the Broken System He Helped Create
Illia Polosukhin, co-author of the groundbreaking Attention Is All You Need and co-founder of NEAR Protocol, shares his vision for a reimagined AI landscape. He argues that today’s centralized AI is broken and champions User-Owned AI for better privacy and user alignment. The conversation dives into the evolution of AI technologies, ethical concerns with current systems, and innovative blockchain solutions that could enhance AI operations. Illia also highlights the potential of open protocols in improving trust and creating personalized AI experiences.

9 snips
May 4, 2024 • 1h 46min
Near Protocol: 'Blockchains Cannot Scale Without Sharding!' - Illia Polosukhin & Alex Skidanov
Blockchain experts Illia Polosukhin and Alex Skidanov discuss sharding technology and scalability in Near Protocol. Topics include challenges of building a sharded blockchain, stateless validation, shard security, and comparing shards vs. rollups. The podcast explores how Near Protocol improves leaderless chunk production and chain abstraction for efficiency in blockchain networks.

9 snips
Feb 13, 2024 • 1h 54min
The Chain Abstraction Thesis | Season 7 Episode 3 | Sam & Illia
Sam Hart and Illia Polosukhin join the hosts to discuss chain abstraction and its role in interoperability solutions. They explore topics such as user funds in cross-chain architectures, the use of zero-knowledge proofs, and the tradeoffs between shared security and chain sovereignty. They also touch on topics like wrapped Bitcoin, simplifying bridge implementation, the evolution of wallets, and the future of rollups.

7 snips
Jan 2, 2024 • 1h 5min
What is NEAR Protocol? | A Comprehensive Overview & Future Prospects
Illia Polosukhin, Co-Founder of NEAR Protocol, discusses the shift from AI to crypto. They explore NEAR's core principles, technology, users, builders, and new features. Topics include consensus, delegation, liquid staking, bridging, attracting users/builders, crosschain mechanism, and future prospects.

4 snips
Sep 12, 2024 • 1h 32min
Illia Polosukhin: AI thesis, crypto x AI, and announcing the Delphi Labs x Near accelerator
Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol and a pioneer in AI development, shares his journey from Ukraine to significant tech roles. He highlights the launch of the Crypto X AI Accelerator, emphasizing its role in blending AI with cryptocurrency. The discussion explores the evolution and societal implications of AI, contrasting user-owned models with corporate dominance. Illia also touches on the vital interplay between data quality and AI training, along with revolutionary funding ideas for AI through decentralized, token-based systems.


