MATRIX’s support of the IPFS protocol enhances its blockchain ecosystem and makes it easy to envision future enterprise use cases.

Artificial intelligence and blockchain are arguably the two most significant technological innovations of recent years. MATRIX aims to combine the two to solve the major challenges currently stifling the development and adoption of blockchain technology by achieving superior transaction speed, greater accessibility and improved security.

To this end, MATRIX supports the InterPlanetary File System protocol, or IPFS. IPFS is a peer-to-peer file sharing system that aims to address the drawbacks of today’s main Internet protocol and system architecture such as HTTP and client-server models.

An Introduction to IPFS

The Internet has relied on the same protocols and system architecture for most of its lifetime. HTTP, for example, has been the internet standard since the 1990s due to its efficiency of transferring images and text — the basic components of websites. The centralized nature of client-server system architectures, by allowing for easier data security and scalability, has led to mainstream adoption. However, the public’s expectations have changed. For one, people now expect music and videos on-demand; both of which require the transfer of large data amounts. Compounding this change is the fact that peoples’ appetite for load times is at an all-time low.

Enter IPFS. For the unacquainted, IPFS is a decentralized P2P file sharing system originally developed by Protocol Labs. Every stored file is given a unique content hash, which users can use when searching for files and transactions. The result is a system that both reduces storage and computing costs while maintaining off-chain data security.

Additional features of IPFS include:

● Distributed hash tables, which allows for the decentralization of data across millions of nodes;

● The use of BitSwap, a data exchange protocol that enables an efficient transfer of data between these nodes;

● The use of Merkle DAG, which verifies that the exchange of data on the network is correct;

● A Version Control System — another feature of Merkle DAG — that allows users to save new file versions while leaving a permanent file history trail.

The Present: IPFS and the MATRIX AI Network

MATRIX supports IPFS to deliver its blockchain AI Services. MATRIX users are able to send multimedia files, via IPFS, to the MATRIX AI Server for Pose and Object Detection. The way it works is fairly straightforward. Users send multimedia files, which are then stored on the IPFS chain. The files are then processed by the MATRIX AI server. Following processing, the new processed file is also stored on the IPFS chain and is assigned an address. This address is then sent to the MATRIX AI Network blockchain as a transaction. Nodes then verify the transaction alongside all other transactions and users are able to bring up the processed file/transaction using the designated TxHash.

The Future: IPFS and the MATRIX AI Network

IPFS support is just one of the ways MATRIX is using innovative technology to enhance its blockchain ecosystem. Following the Mainnet launch, companies, organizations or other relevant entities will be able to access the IPFS chain. These entities will be able to access the IPFS chain as a client. This will give them authority over a specific node and grant them individualized permissions.

AI-powered cybersecurity , intelligent contracts and more all play a role in making the MATRIX blockchain adaptive and dynamic. This can’t be done without freeing the blockchain from present constraints. IPFS is supported to this end, all while improving the experience for future clients, individuals, and enterprise users.