Celebrating the fourth anniversary of the Internet Computer was fantastic! During the largest community celebration to date, the DFINITY Foundation proudly hosted the World Computer Summit on June 3, a milestone event dedicated to exploring how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, Web3, and the revolutionary self-written internet will shape our work, communication, and lifestyles.
The summit was held at the historic Kaufleuten cultural venue, bringing together numerous industry experts, visionary thought leaders, and hundreds of community members for a full day of lively discussions, speeches, and valuable exchanges.
Participants explored the building blocks for constructing a secure, autonomous internet and discussed how these technologies can make our digital world safer, more efficient, and interconnected. The vibrant energy throughout the day showcased the ICP community's collective commitment to realizing the vision of the 'World Computer.'
This article reviews the highlights of the conference, starting with groundbreaking announcements and visionary keynote speeches that will shape the future of the Internet Computer and beyond.
Important Announcements and Keynote Speeches
Caffeine
Dominic Williams, Founder and Chief Scientist of the DFINITY Foundation, delivered a highly anticipated keynote speech at the 2025 World Computer Summit, with the main stage packed and buzzing due to Caffeine's demonstration, which promises to redefine how applications and services are built and maintained. As Dominic described: 'Internet Computer 2.0 will realize the paradigm of self-written internet.'
Dominic first described a vision for a democratized digital future, quoting the spirit of Steve Jobs, who once said: 'The most important thing is that you believe in people, that they are fundamentally good and smart, and if you give them tools, they will do amazing things with them.'
On this basis, Dominic posed the core transformative question of Caffeine: 'What if everyone could create online applications and services through conversation?' He explained that this vision aims to empower billions of internet users to become creators.
The live demonstrations deeply captivated the audience, showcasing Caffeine's ability to convert simple instructions into applications that run in real-time on the secure, decentralized Internet Computer, from generating specifications to deploying code on the blockchain, with the entire demonstration being clear and intuitive.
After pointing out that Caffeine is designed for a mobile-first model, he remarked that with it, 'applications are essentially conversations,' which made him reflect on one of Caffeine's core user advantages: 'It’s just that simple.' This is not only about simplifying development but also about unlocking a new wave of innovation.
Demonstrations showed that everything from personalized daily applications to complex enterprise solutions can be developed on a decentralized cloud platform with unprecedented speed and convenience, while being secure and reliable.
Click the link below to apply to join the Alpha testing phase of Caffeine and become one of the first users to experience the 'self-written internet.' You can follow Caffeine on X for the latest updates:
join.caffeine.ai
Establishment of ICP Alliance
Another important announcement at the World Computer Summit was made by Pierre Samaties, Chief Business Officer of the DFINITY Foundation, regarding the establishment of the ICP Alliance.
The program aims to bring together enterprises, ICP builders, the developer community, and key decision-makers to accelerate global adoption of ICP, directly addressing the growing demand from businesses for digital sovereignty, sovereign AI, and seamless multi-chain asset management. The alliance invites consulting, advisory, building, and integration firms to become certified partners and lead the development in these advanced technology fields.
Certified ICP Alliance partners will gain significant advantages, aiding their expansion and enhancing delivery capabilities. These advantages include priority access to high-quality potential clients and early technology previews, as well as direct R&D engineering support, accelerating innovation and fostering project success.
Partners will also gain significant market visibility through ICP events and promotions, becoming leaders in next-generation Web infrastructure areas such as sovereign cloud and multi-chain solutions. This global network aims to foster valuable collaboration, joint bidding, and build a powerful platform to showcase ICP-based solutions to a broader audience.
Click here for more information about the ICP Alliance:
dfinity.org/alliance
World Computer Hackathon Alliance
The establishment of the World Computer Hackathon Alliance was also announced that day.
According to data from Electric Capital, ICP is the second fastest-growing ecosystem in 2024, welcoming over 2,000 developers throughout the year, with an overall developer growth rate exceeding 75%.
To further its development, the DFINITY Foundation is initiating an Alliance Competition, a global hackathon that will take place from July to October this year. This competition will kick off at the local level, then move to regional contests, and finally culminate at the global level.
Subscribe to our news for all updates on the World Computer Hackathon Alliance.
Main Venue: Inspirational Discussions on Key Technological Issues
On that day, the expert panel on the main stage shared profound insights on some of the most pressing issues in today's technology sector, summarizing the discussion topics and attendees.
Digital Colonialism Era? How Technology Shapes Geopolitics
Panel members: Dr. Katrin Eggenberger (Board Member, Deon Digital, AISquare), Philippe D. Monnier (Chairman, Swiss International Association), Mauro Vignati (War Digital Technology Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross)
Moderator: Tracy Trachsler (Director of Institutional Affairs, DFINITY Foundation)
Key points: This engaging panel discussed how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are reshaping the global power landscape and becoming new tools of influence. The discussion focused on the shift towards decentralized systems, digital infrastructure as a new geopolitical battleground, and the risks of dependence traps. Panel members emphasized that sovereignty now transcends borders, extending to control over digital standards. They highlighted the urgent need to establish new inclusive governance frameworks that involve civil society in addressing issues like platform weaponization, cognitive operations, and the vast global digital divide, ensuring that technology empowers rather than exploits.
Sovereignty and Data Ownership in Secure Infrastructure
Panel members: Bettina Warburg (Web3 Advisor and Investor), Jan Camenisch (CTO, DFINITY Foundation), Carla Bünger (Co-founder and Board Member, Phoenix Technologies)
Moderator: Colm Woods (Managing Director, CW8 Communications)
Key points: This panel discussed the importance of achieving real digital sovereignty and user data control, including the significance of decentralized systems like the Internet Computer and their role as secure infrastructure. Panel members discussed the necessity for users to have control over their data to mitigate risks from centralized cloud service providers and regulations that might allow national security agencies to access their data without user knowledge. The importance of geographical data management, the potential impact of collective sovereignty on smaller nations, and the need for broad data privacy education from a young age were also focal points of the discussion, highlighting the future where individuals and businesses can regain data autonomy.
Opportunities for Economic Development
Panel members: Eva Selamlar-Leuthold (Head of FIND, Swiss Financial Innovation Department - FIND), Lauren Carter (Deputy Group Leader, UNDP Insurance and Risk Financing Mechanism), Francesco Pio Gaglione (Head of Blockchain Warfare Technology at NTT Data)
Moderator: Tracy Trachsler (Director of Institutional Affairs, DFINITY Foundation)
Key points: This insightful discussion focused on how to leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain to promote economic development, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Panel members emphasized the strategic role of public-private partnerships in connecting Web2 and Web3, creating value, and addressing global shared challenges. The dialogue underscored the importance of conversation and the necessity of creating 'safe spaces' (e.g., sandboxes) for governments to responsibly test innovations, highlighting the need to combine global expertise with local insights to replicate successful, market-adapted solutions that drive inclusive growth and address issues that matter to everyone.
Growth Blueprint: Technology and Government Infrastructure
Panel members: Pierre Samaties (Chief Business Officer, DFINITY Foundation), Robby Yung (CEO of Investments at Animoca Brands), Andrea Riva (Head of Open Innovation at Italian Agricultural Credit Bank)
Moderator: Sean Pattwell (CEO and Founder, CW8 Communications)
Key points: This panel discussion outlined a blueprint for effective collaboration between technology experts and governments, focusing on promoting innovation in areas like Web3 and AI. Attendees emphasized the growing importance of digital sovereignty for governments and highlighted the need to move beyond risk aversion, helping officials understand the broader capabilities of technology that extend beyond initial perceptions, such as the applications of Web3 beyond financial services. Key strategies discussed included creating supportive innovation centers, directly addressing government pain points rather than being dominated by technical jargon, understanding the priorities of the government lifecycle, and establishing strong local and national partnerships to drive knowledge sharing and successful technology implementation.
Digital Assets and Beyond: Transforming Financial Infrastructure
Panel members: Maksim Balashevich (Founder and CEO of Santiment), Sina Meier (Managing Director and Head of Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, and the Middle East for 21Shares), Pierre Samaties (Chief Business Officer, DFINITY Foundation)
Moderator: Tibor Merey (Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group)
Key points: This panel discussed the evolving landscape of digital assets, with some panel members noting that while adoption rates are increasing, they remain below initial expectations. Key barriers include regulatory transparency, enhancing industry expertise to build trust, and developing user-friendly and secure infrastructure. Panel members highlighted significant opportunities such as tokenization, DeFi, sovereign applications, and the role of artificial intelligence in finance, emphasizing that broader adoption in the traditional finance sector depends on comprehensive education, clear regulations, and a good reputation among industry participants. They looked forward to a future where disruptors and traditional participants could find a symbiotic balance to reshape the financial system.
2025 Venture Capital Outlook
Panel members: Minh Do (COO at Animoca Brands), Olivier Dang (Head of Venture Capital at Laser Digital), Olaf Hannemann (Co-founder of CV VC)
Moderator: Jason Gao (Ecosystem and Strategic Partnerships, DFINITY Foundation)
Key points: This forward-looking panel explored the landscape of venture capital, pointing out that while traditional venture capital faces challenges, the faster capital cycles of cryptocurrency present advantages. Key investment themes highlighted include institutional adoption of Bitcoin and the related opportunities for yield creation, the burgeoning global stablecoin market, and the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). The transformative potential of artificial intelligence, especially the concept of the 'self-written internet' that combines AI with blockchain for decentralized application development, was a focal point of the discussion. Additionally, the conference explored the future of AI-driven banking, on-chain governance, and user-owned digital identities.
AI Innovation: The 21st Century Space Race
Panel members: Daniel Naeff (Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at ETH AI Center), Dr. Garif Yalak (National Digital Transformation Director at Cisco Systems), Sam Burman (Global Partner at Heidrick & Struggles Frontier Tech)
Moderator: Sean Pattwell (CEO and Founder, CW8 Communications)
Key points: The final main stage panel emphasized that the successful application of artificial intelligence is not just about technology but also about strategic alignment and comprehensive organizational transformation. Experts stressed that AI should be viewed as a 'talent transformation initiative' requiring strong leadership to overcome common misalignments in AI strategy, talent, data quality, and governance. Key factors include fostering a change management mindset, ensuring infrastructure is ready for AI, and establishing strong collaborations between research institutions and industry to tackle foundational challenges and drive true enterprise value, rather than treating AI as an isolated technology project.
Ecosystem Stage: Showcasing Innovation and Developer Focus
Let's move from the main stage to the ecosystem stage, where activities are bustling, focusing on the incredible talent and projects on the Internet Computer.
Morning Introduction: ICP Innovators
In the morning seminar, a series of brilliant speeches came from projects dedicated to reshaping the way the internet operates, and here are some highlights from the speeches.
Enzo Desiage from OneSec first introduced how they utilize a decentralized messaging bridge to address the DeFi liquidity issues on ICP, emphasizing that 'only by adopting ICP technology can true BTC yields be achieved.'
Emiliyan Enev from Datapond AI launched the 'Wikipedia of AI Monetization,' a virtual space for storing data on-chain, allowing users to share and monetize data with AI in their own way.
Gorazd Ocvirk from KongSwap painted a vision of a 'borderless blockchain economy,' where they are launching a bridge-less solution for 10-second native ICP swaps, expected to go live in two weeks.
Michele De Pasquale from TradeOnChain showcased how they are revolutionizing global trade, with their fully decentralized platform utilizing ICP for on-chain storage of 10,000 pages of trade contracts, currently collaborating with major players such as the British International Chamber of Commerce.
Thomas Cocirta from Autonom.me revealed how they are disrupting Social.Fi through usage-based applications and Utopia peer-to-peer collaboration tools built on ICP.
Finally, Davide Fabris from Growa introduced an innovative software-as-a-service solution for smart agriculture, Agoracle, aimed at providing actionable on-chain insights and setting new standards for trust in agriculture.
Keynote speeches and demonstrations
ICP NINJA: How to Build Like a Professional
Georgi Harizanov, Engineering Director of the DFINITY Foundation, and Elias Datler, Software Engineer at DFINITY Foundation, delivered a brilliant speech and live demonstration on ICP.Ninja, emphasizing that 'developer experience is key.'
They demonstrated how this browser-based IDE provides AI assistance and pre-built templates, facilitating a seamless Web3 development experience on the Internet Computer, enabling a truly seamless coding journey.
You can join and start coding right away by visiting the ICP Ninja website.
OISY: Take Full Control of Your Digital Assets
Akeel Qureshi and Stefan Berger from OISY brilliantly demonstrated the OISY wallet, an on-chain web wallet designed for everyone, emphasizing the wallet's focus on usability and versatility, aimed at returning control to users without sacrificing security and user experience.
An important feature announced is OISY Earn, which initially launches stablecoins followed by NFTs, simplifying asset management. As Stefan Berger pointed out, our goal is to build a system 'that you can truly trust to serve you and protect your data privacy.'
New Frontiers in Fund Management: Orbit
Samuel Burri, VP of Engineering at DFINITY Foundation, discussed Orbit in his keynote speech, a secure and scalable asset management and governance solution built on ICP.
He explained that Orbit is 'built under the rigorous test of DFINITY's own needs,' providing multi-signature approvals for transparent decision-making, real-time fund tracking, and auditable smart contract deployment, offering a robust multi-party computation (MPC) alternative that goes beyond simple single-signature wallets or complex decentralized autonomous organizations, thereby enhancing operational security and efficiency.
Building the Future of Decentralized Artificial Intelligence
Islam El-Ashi, Head of AI at DFINITY Foundation, delivered a keynote speech on decentralized artificial intelligence, emphasizing that AI agents already exist, and we may soon have personal AI assistants, making collaboration between agents a key area of exploration.
Islam pointed out: 'The future of DeAI will head towards complex inter-agent collaboration, where autonomous systems can discover, validate, and transact with one another.' He also emphasized critical challenges in platform control, privacy, and secure collaboration, especially under the risks posed by developing AI in walled gardens controlled by large corporations.
However, he believes that 'this emerging landscape of interconnected artificial intelligence is already mature, and the Internet Computer will completely disrupt this landscape,' positioning ICP as the ideal home for autonomous AI agents.
AI Agent Coordination and Control Network on ICP
Patrick Friedrich, co-founder of Onicai, articulated his vision for the development of artificial intelligence in his keynote speech, claiming that 'the next frontier is not just artificial intelligence, but sovereign autonomous intelligence.'
He elaborated on how Onicai is actively building the future of the Internet Computer, focusing on empowering individuals rather than decentralized intelligence controlled by centralized entities. Patrick revealed in an exciting announcement that Onicai will launch 'funnAI' on June 29, advancing the vision of a user-controlled digital world.
Ecosystem Panel Discussion: Expanding Capabilities and Practical Applications
Chain Fusion: How ICP is redefining the functionality of Bitcoin
Panel members: Julian Mezger (Chief Marketing Officer and Co-founder of Liquidium), Andy Fajar Handika (CEO and Co-founder of Loka Mining), Carsten Thelen (Chief Operating Officer of TAP Protocol), Sheldon Dearr (Ecosystem Director of Omnity Network)
Moderator: Thomas Locher (Researcher, DFINITY Foundation)
Key points: This panel discussion showcased how Chain Fusion technology on ICP is revolutionizing the functionality of Bitcoin. Julian Mezger emphasized how Chain Fusion enables Liquidium to build a truly native, unwrapped DeFi for Bitcoin, 'unlocking BTC capital without intermediaries.' Andy Fajar Handika explained 'how Chain Fusion tokenizes Bitcoin mining,' going beyond the transaction itself and achieving transparency in DeFi on the network. Carsten Thelen pointed out that Chain Fusion allows ICP smart contracts to access Bitcoin's native tokens (e.g., Ordinals) directly, enabling advanced DeFi. Finally, Sheldon Dearr emphasized: 'Chain Fusion provides true cross-chain interoperability for Bitcoin on ICP without building high-risk cross-chain bridges,' positioning ICP as a key decentralized hub for BTC's broader Web3 utility.
DePin and RWA help bridge the gap between blockchain and the real world.
Panel members: John Lee (Co-founder of Piggy Cell), Maciej Orłowski (Head of Blockchain Token Economics, Strategy, Fundraising, and Grants at TerGo), Dustin Becker (Technical Lead at Gold DAO), Dr. Alexandra K. Mikityuk (Founder and CEO of Staex)
Moderator: Yvonne-Anne Pignolet (Research Director, DFINITY Foundation)
Key points: This panel discussion focused on how to combine decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePin) and RWA with blockchain technology on ICP to connect the digital world and the physical world. John Lee explained that projects like Piggy Cell see DePin as 'the bridge' that embeds blockchain value into tangible, community-controlled infrastructure. Maciej Orłowski emphasized how projects like Tergo's focus on RWA brings real-world value into the blockchain ecosystem, making assets like land programmable and flowing on-chain. Dustin Becker exemplified how Gold DAO bridges this gap by enabling instant access and activation of trusted value storage means like gold in the digital world. Finally, Dr. Alexandra K. Mikityuk emphasized that this bridge 'is fundamentally built on trusted data,' ensuring that information from physical DePin and tokenized RWA is secure and verifiable, making connections meaningful and reliable.
ICP HUBS Global Conference
During the World Computer Summit, the ICP HUBS Global Conference was broadcast live from Zurich, capturing the vibrant atmosphere inside and outside the ecosystem stage. This special event aimed to celebrate the four-year transformation of the Internet Computer, with the global live stream bringing together builders, innovators, and thought leaders to reflect on the progress of the web and its increasingly profound impact on building a more open, secure, and decentralized internet.
In a nine-hour live broadcast, the event not only showcased interviews with attendees, HUB leaders, and ecosystem projects but also arranged keynote speeches, live demonstrations, and panel discussions on the summit ecosystem stage. This unique Townhall edition provided the community with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights from the World Computer Summit and emphasized the collaborative and international spirit of the Internet Computer ecosystem.
Looking Ahead: Shaping Our Work, Communication, and Lifestyle
The 2025 World Computer Summit clearly demonstrated how emerging technologies will redefine core areas of our daily lives. The energy, insights, and collaboration that burst forth during the summit will undoubtedly drive the continued development and evolution of the Internet Computer, directly influencing the future of work, communication, and digital interaction.
On our path forward, we remain committed to supporting the development of a secure and autonomous internet that empowers users and creators. The statements and discussions at the summit pave the way for achieving this mission, creating an environment where technology enhances our ability to connect, create, and thrive.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all speakers, panel members, community members, and attendees who made the 2025 World Computer Summit an unforgettable event.
Stay connected and learn more:
Apply to join the Caffeine alpha testing phase: join.caffeine.ai;
Explore the Internet Computer: internetcomputer.org;
Use the OISY wallet and earn rewards: oisy.com/?referrer=3462049353.
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