Welcome to This Week in Crypto, where we cover the best news the crypto world has to offer. This week, we’re looking at Nike bringing their NFT apparel to EA video games, El Salvador’s newest Bitcoin advisor, and a new way to talk to Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto!
Nike and EA Sports Collaborate to Bring Nike NFT Apparel to Video Games
Sportswear giant Nike has partnered with video game maker EA Sports to integrate Nike-branded digital collectibles into upcoming EA games. The collaboration will leverage Nike’s Web3 platform, .Swoosh, which offers NFT collectibles such as digital sneakers and membership cards. While specific details are scarce, the partnership aims to create immersive experiences and customization options within EA Sports games. A teaser video revealed Nike-branded football and soccer gear, hinting at the potential for in-game NFT apparel.
Nike’s .Swoosh platform, built on Polygon’s Ethereum scaling network, provides tokens referred to as Nike “virtual creations”. These include digital sneakers, apparel, accessories, and other collectibles that players can use in games or redeem for exclusive products and events. Nike’s GM of Nike Virtual Studios, Ron Faris, expressed excitement about unlocking new experiences for the .Swoosh community and EA Sports’ vast fan base, saying “Nike and EA Sports share a commitment to innovation, creativity, and excellence, and we are thrilled to partner with them”. This collaboration has the potential to revolutionize the integration of branded NFT apparel into the gaming world, offering enticing opportunities for gamers and collectors.
Renowned Bitcoin Author Joins El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office as Economic Advisor
Saifedean Ammous, the author of “The Bitcoin Standard,” has been appointed as an economic advisor to El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC). As an influential figure in the cryptocurrency space, Ammous will provide insights and opinions to support the country’s Bitcoin strategy. In an interview, he expressed confidence in El Salvador’s potential to become debt-free within the next five to ten years and praised the nation’s attractiveness as a hub of innovation, especially considering favorable initiatives such as zero taxes for technological companies. Ammous volunteered for the role and will advise the President remotely.
El Salvador has been at the forefront of Bitcoin adoption, legalizing it as a national currency in 2021 and recently introducing innovative Bitcoin bonds. Ammous’s involvement signifies the country’s commitment to leveraging expert perspectives as it navigates the rapid growth of Bitcoin. While reports on Bitcoin adoption in El Salvador have been mixed, the increasing tourism suggests a growing interest in the country’s unique approach to cryptocurrency integration.
AI Chatbot “Talk2Satoshi” Aims to Revive Conversation with Bitcoin Creator
Bitcoin FilmFest co-organizer Pierre Corbin and co-developer Hugo Ferrer have introduced “Talk2Satoshi,” an AI chatbot designed to simulate conversations with Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. The chatbot utilizes OpenAI’s ChatGPT model trained on Nakamoto’s public emails, forum posts, and other sources like books and films related to Bitcoin. While the chatbot’s responses express uncertainty about the future of fiat currencies and display optimism towards Bitcoin, it may offer conflicting answers depending on the phrasing of the questions.
Although the chatbot lacks training on recent Bitcoin developments like the Ordinals protocol and BRC-20 tokens, it can still provide competent responses to questions about Bitcoin basics, including its functionality and the process of mining. Corbin stated that the primary objective of the chatbot is to demonstrate the potential use of AI tools in education. While it offers insights into Nakamoto’s perspective, the AI chatbot serves as an experimental tool rather than an actual means of communication with the enigmatic Bitcoin creator.
