cDPT-1: An Open-Source Cardano Development AI Assistant

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Nathaniel (decimalist) Minton

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Co-proposers and additional applicants

Rahim Badsa - UI/UX Developer

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

2

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We will develop an open-source AI Assistant to demystify Cardano’s complexities, providing developers with clear, accessible guidance and fostering innovation within the ecosystem.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

Anthropic’s Claude v3

This AI model provides advanced natural language processing capabilities essential for understanding and responding to developer queries. We rely on this technology for the AI Assistant's core functionality.

AWS Lambda

This service is crucial for hosting and executing our backend services efficiently. It ensures that the AI Assistant can scale and handle multiple user requests simultaneously.

Node.js

The runtime environment is needed for executing the backend services and integrating various software components.

ReactJS

Used for building the front-end of the AI Assistant, ReactJS will allow us to create a highly interactive and responsive user interface. This is crucial for ensuring a seamless user experience.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Our project is committed to full transparency and community collaboration throughout its lifecycle. We have chosen to license all components of our project under the MIT License. This license was selected for its permissive nature that allows others to freely use, modify, and distribute the software even for commercial use, while still maintaining the original copyright.

Open Source Details

Repository: All project outputs, including source code for the AI assistant, its integration with backend services, and the front-end interface, will be available in our GitHub repository: https://github.com/realdecimalist/cDPT-1.

License Type: MIT License for all components, ensuring that developers can freely contribute to and use the project outputs without complex legal barriers.

Open Source Elements: The entire stack, including prompt engineering, AI integration logic, user interface components, reporting, knowledgebase contents and infrastructure configuration scripts, will be open-sourced. This ensures that the community can review, contribute to, and expand upon our work, fostering innovation and trust within the Cardano ecosystem.

By making our project fully open source, we aim to encourage community-driven development and innovation, ensuring that the Cardano Development AI Assistant evolves to meet the needs of its users and remains at the cutting edge of technology advancements.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

How do you perceive the problem you are solving?

The Cardano ecosystem, while robust and feature-rich, presents a steep learning curve due to its unique foundations and complex development frameworks. This complexity can deter new developers from entering the ecosystem, thus slowing down innovation and community growth.

What are your reasons for approaching it in the way that you have?

To make Cardano development more accessible, we are developing an AI assistant that uses Anthropic’s Claude v3 for sophisticated natural language processing, enabling it to understand and respond to a wide range of developer inquiries. This AI assistant will be integrated with a dynamic knowledge base that includes the latest information on Cardano development tools, languages, SDKs, and APIs. This approach ensures that developers receive the most current and relevant assistance.

Who will your project engage?

• New Developers: Individuals new to blockchain technology will find a supportive tool that helps them overcome initial hurdles.
• Experienced Developers: Seasoned developers can quickly find specific information, speeding up their workflow and reducing downtime.
• The Cardano Community: By facilitating easier access to development resources, our tool will encourage more developers to build on Cardano, thus enriching the ecosystem with new apps and services.

How will you demonstrate or prove your impact?

We will measure the impact of our AI assistant through:

• Usage Metrics: Tracking the number of active users, query frequency, and types of inquiries handled will indicate developer trends and the assistant's reach and utility.
• User Feedback: Integrated feedback mechanisms will assess user satisfaction and identify areas for improvement directly from cDPT-1.
• Community Growth: An increase in developed applications and contributions to the Cardano ecosystem will serve as a long-term indicator of success. We will also implement a recognition system for willing Cardano Community members who are able to deliver products & solutions with the assistance of cDPT-1.

Explain what is unique about your solution, who will benefit, and why this is important to Cardano.

• Open Source Nature: By making the entire project open-source, we not only ensure transparency but also allow the community to contribute to and evolve the assistant.
• Advanced AI Integration: Utilizing state-of-the-art AI to interpret and respond to developer queries (with a robust knowledgebase of all known available, dynamically updating Cardano resources and tools) is a new and exciting endeavor in the blockchain community, setting our tool apart as a pioneering resource.

Our proposed solution directly addresses the intimidating complexity of the Cardano blockchain environment, which can act as a barrier to entry for new developers. This project leverages cutting-edge AI technology to create an accessible, intuitive tool that supports developers by providing real-time, context-aware assistance. This solution is important to Cardano because it not only solves a critical usability issue but also promotes broader adoption and development within the ecosystem, ultimately driving innovation and growth.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

In what way will the success of your project bring value to the Cardano Community? 

1. Enhanced Accessibility: By simplifying complex development processes and providing real-time assistance, the AI Assistant makes it easier for new and existing developers to engage with Cardano’s technology. This leads to increased developer activity and innovation within the ecosystem.
2. Community Growth: The AI Assistant helps expand the community by enabling developers from diverse backgrounds, including those who might not have blockchain-specific knowledge, to contribute to Cardano projects.
3. Innovation Acceleration: With quicker and easier access to information, developers can speed up the project lifecycle, leading to faster innovation and deployment of new features or applications on the Cardano blockchain.

How will you measure this impact?

• Usage Metrics: We will track the number of users, frequency of queries, and the types of questions being asked to gauge how extensively the AI Assistant is being utilized.
• Developer Surveys and Feedback: Regular collection of qualitative feedback from users will help assess the assistant's effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Contribution Rates: An increase in the number of contributions to the Cardano codebase or third-party applications on the Cardano platform may help serve as a quantitative measure of the project's success.
• Build with cDPT-1 Recognition Program: We will implement a recognition program in which we regularly highlight developers and teams that have delivered products and solutions with the aid of cDPT-1.

How will you share the outputs and opportunities that result from your project?

• Open Source Repository: All code and documentation will be continuously available in our open-source repository on GitHub, allowing developers worldwide to access and contribute to the project freely.
• Community Updates: Regular updates and insights will be shared through our website and social media to keep the community informed and engaged.
• Workshops and Webinars: We will organize educational sessions to demonstrate the capabilities of the cDPT-1 and encourage more developers to utilize it for their Cardano development needs.

By providing a tool that not only facilitates easier access to development resources but also actively supports the community’s growth and learning, cDPT-1 will drive greater innovation and participation in the Cardano ecosystem. The success of this project will bring substantial value to the Cardano community by making it a more accessible, robust, and attractive platform for developers around the world.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Please describe your existing capabilities that demonstrate how and why you believe you’re best suited to deliver this project?

Our team, led by Nathaniel (decimalist) Minton, brings a wealth of expertise in GenAI, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Understanding technologies. Decimalist's notable achievements include the development of "Indigo Guru," a working AI Assistant for Indigo Protocol V2, which demonstrates his capability in deploying functional GenAI tools tailored to meet specific project needs. This assistant is actively available for testing at Indigo Protocol. Additionally, decimalist has extensive experience building, launching, tuning, and optimizing GenAI NLU applications for Concentrix, a Fortune 500 company that serves over 100 Fortune Global 500 clients. This background underscores his deep understanding of both the technical and practical aspects of AI-driven projects in high-stakes environments. Finally, decimalist is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner who spends the better part of every workday building inside AWS and therefore has an intimate understanding of the how to best utilize the tools and resources available there.

Additionally, Rahim Badsa, will serve as the UI/UX developer for this project, bringing a unique blend of passion, resilience, and technical proficiency. His technical skills span across front-end and back-end development, with extensive experience in JavaScript, SaturnNFT.io APIs, MeshJS, React.js, Next.js, Node.js, and more!

Validating Feasibility

1. Pilot Testing: Early testing phases with targeted user groups, including feedback loops to refine functionalities based on real-world use.
2. Community Engagement: Regular interaction with the Cardano community to ensure cDPT-1 aligns with user needs and Cardano development standards.
3. Scalability Tests: Comprehensive testing to ensure the infrastructure can handle anticipated loads and interactions at scale.

Please include the steps or processes that demonstrate that you can be trusted to manage funds properly.

Transparent Budgeting: All funds received will be allocated according to a detailed budget plan. This budget plan includes earmarked amounts for each phase of the project, ensuring every Lovelace is spent judiciously.

Regular Reporting: We will provide regular financial reports and progress updates to the Cardano Community. These reports will detail expenditures, progress towards milestones, and any adjustments to the project plan.

Escrow Management: With Project Catalyst, funds will be held, with releases tied to the achievement of predefined milestones. This ensures that funds are only spent on achieving project goals.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: Project Setup and Infrastructure Development

A: Milestone Outputs

• Establish the project infrastructure on AWS.
• Initiate integration with Anthropic’s Claude v3 and AWS Lambda.
• Begin compilation of the knowledge base for Cardano development resources.

B: Acceptance Criteria

• Successful setup of AWS environments and configuration of necessary services.
• Integration with Claude v3 is established for initial NLP capabilities.
• Initial set of development resources is compiled and formatted in the knowledge base.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Configuration logs from AWS and setup documentation.
• Screenshots or logs demonstrating successful API calls to Claude v3.
• A preliminary version of the knowledge base accessible on the project repository.

Milestone 2: Knowledge Base Expansion and System Integration

A: Milestone Outputs

• Expand the knowledge base with comprehensive Cardano development tools, languages, SDKs, APIs, and best practices.
• Fully integrate the expanded knowledge base with the AI system for query handling.

B: Acceptance Criteria

• The knowledge base includes a broad range of up-to-date and accurate Cardano development resources.
• The AI system seamlessly retrieves and utilizes information from the knowledge base to answer queries.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion

• A detailed report of the knowledge base content and its sources.
• Demonstrations (video/screenshots) of cDPT-1 effectively fetching and displaying accurate information in response to developer queries.

Milestone 3: Security Enhancement and Validation

A: Milestone Outputs

• Implement comprehensive security protocols to prevent prompt injection and jailbreaking of the AI.
• Develop and integrate input/output sanitation and output validation checks.
• Conduct thorough security checks and audits to ensure the robustness of the AI against various security threats.

B: Acceptance Criteria

• The AI system successfully identifies and mitigates attempts at prompt injection and jailbreaking.
• All inputs and outputs are effectively sanitized and validated without affecting the system's performance or user experience.
• The system passes all security audits with no critical vulnerabilities found.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Documentation of security protocols and measures implemented.
• Logs demonstrating the detection and handling of security tests.
• Security audit reports detailing the tests performed and the outcomes.

Final Milestone: Launch and Community Engagement

A: Milestone Outputs

• Officially launch the AI Assistant to the public.
• Implement community feedback mechanisms and begin active engagement strategies.
• Gather initial user feedback and make adjustments based on community input.

B: Acceptance Criteria

• The AI Assistant is live and accessible to users without significant issues.
• Feedback mechanisms are in place and collecting user insights.
• Initial user feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with constructive suggestions for improvements being actively implemented.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion

• Public URL of cDPT-1 and launch announcement posts.
• Feedback collection tools set up and initial feedback summary report.
• Updates and patches applied post-launch, documented with change logs and community responses.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Nathaniel (decimalist) Minton - Project Lead & GenAI Application Developer

Decimalist oversees the project’s strategic direction and technical development, ensuring that the AI Assistant is tailored to meet the needs of the Cardano developer community effectively. His dual role as Project Lead and GenAI Application Developer allows him to integrate strategic oversight with hands-on technical development. He will be directly involved in the design, development, and optimization of the cDPT-1, utilizing his expertise in machine learning and natural language understanding to ensure the tool is efficient, scalable, and effective.

Rahim Badsa - UI/UX Developer

Rahim is responsible for designing the user interface and user experience of cDPT-1. His focus is on ensuring the platform is intuitive, accessible, and visually appealing. He will handle all aspects of front-end development, including UI design, UX workflow, and integration of the front-end with backend services.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Development & Integration: 35,326₳

• Description: Costs cover the development of the AI assistant, including programming, integration with Anthropic’s Claude v3 for natural language processing, and setting up AWS Lambda for backend services.
• Third-Party Services: Includes fees for using Anthropic’s Claude v3 and AWS Lambda.
• Justification: Essential for creating a robust and responsive AI system that can handle complex developer queries effectively.

Knowledge Base Compilation & Updates: 12,461₳

• Description: Expenses related to compiling and continuously updating a comprehensive database of Cardano development tools, languages, SDKs, APIs, and more.
• Third-Party Services: Utilizes various data sources to maintain an up-to-date and accurate knowledge base.
• Justification: Ensures the AI assistant provides relevant and current information, enhancing the value it delivers to developers.

Infrastructure, Maintenance, & 18 Months Operational Costs: 63,583₳

• Description: Costs for maintaining the infrastructure on AWS, including server costs, data storage, API Calls, Lambda triggers, and other cloud services over 18 months.
• Third-Party Services: Ongoing AWS service fees.
• Justification: Supports the long-term sustainability and reliability of the AI assistant, ensuring it remains operational and effective for the developer community.

Marketing & Community Engagement: 15,689₳

• Description: Funds allocated for marketing the AI assistant and engaging with the Cardano community. Includes promotional activities, community workshops, webinars, and feedback mechanisms.
• Third-Party Services: Marketing agencies and online advertising platforms.
• Justification: Critical for raising awareness about the AI assistant, driving adoption, and gathering valuable community feedback for further improvements.

Total Budget: 127,059₳

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The budget for the cDPT-1 is carefully structured to ensure cost-effectiveness while delivering a high-quality tool for the Cardano community.

Here is an explanation of the cost distribution and value justification:

Development Costs

The estimated budget aligns with the industry norms for developing advanced AI applications similar to ChatGPT. Development of an AI chatbot like ChatGPT typically ranges between $90,000 to $450,000, depending on the complexity and features included. Additionally, A US-based in-house AI engineer can cost $70,000–$200,000 annually. Our budget of 35,326₳ for development and integration is significantly lower, reflecting cost-efficiency without compromising on the technological sophistication required for the AI Assistant.

Infrastructure and Operational Costs

Maintaining robust infrastructure for AI applications, including data storage and management, is crucial for ensuring the assistant's reliability and responsiveness. These costs typically range from $5,000 to $15,000, varying with data size and infrastructure complexity. Our allocation of 63,583₳ for infrastructure and 18 months of operational costs is designed to provide sustainable support for the AI Assistant, ensuring it remains operational and effective for the Cardano developer community over an extended period.

Knowledge Base Compilation and Updates

Creating and maintaining an updated and comprehensive knowledge base is essential for the AI Assistant's effectiveness. This ensures that the assistant provides developers with the most current and relevant information, enhancing their productivity and facilitating easier navigation through Cardano’s complex development environment.

Marketing and Community Engagement

Investing in marketing and community engagement ensures that the AI Assistant reaches its intended audience and is adopted by developers. These activities are crucial for gathering feedback and continuously improving the tool based on user input and changing needs within the Cardano ecosystem.

Value for Money

• Enhancing Developer Accessibility: Lowering the barrier to entry for new developers and streamlining the development process for experienced programmers.
• Boosting Community Growth and Innovation: Facilitating a more vibrant development community and fostering innovation within the Cardano ecosystem.
• Long-Term Community Support: Offering ongoing support and updates to the AI Assistant, ensuring it evolves in line with new developments and community needs.