5 Templates Combining AI and Blockchain on Cardano

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

5 Templates Combining AI and Blockchain on Cardano

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

56193

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

5

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

Currently, research on integrating AI with the Cardano blockchain is limited, creating significant challenges for developers in effectively implementing and advancing innovative ideas.

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

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

No

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

No dependencies

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

Fully open source

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

AI

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.

We will use the MIT License.

This choice is deliberate to maximize adoption and remove any barriers for developers. The MIT License is highly permissive, allowing anyone to freely use, modify, and integrate our code into both open-source and commercial projects. This approach ensures our work provides the greatest possible value and utility to the entire Cardano ecosystem.

How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?

All source code will be publicly available in a GitHub repository from the very beginning of the project (Milestone 1). We will ensure the community is informed by sharing the repository link in our monthly progress reports.

How will you provide high quality documentation?

We are committed to providing comprehensive, developer-friendly documentation. Each of the 5 templates will include:

• Technical Guides: Step-by-step instructions from setup to deployment.
• API References: Clear explanations for all functions and modules.
• Code Examples: Practical, ready-to-use code snippets.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Our approach:

The Cardano ecosystem currently lacks diverse AI-integrated projects and applications. Technical documentation for integrating AI with the blockchain is limited and fragmented, creating difficulties for developers. As a result, AI developers face barriers when implementing ideas on Cardano, slowing the development of decentralized AI applications and limiting the ecosystem's expansion potential.

Our solution:

We will develop a suite of five project templates that demonstrate the integration of AI and blockchain on Cardano. The goal is to provide standardized tools and documentation to help developers easily build and deploy decentralized AI applications.

Approach:

We will build five templates using popular AI technologies such as Computer Vision, Prompt Engineering, LLMs, and Generative AI, combined with Cardano's core components like eUTXO, Smart Contracts, and DIDs.

Key activities:

• Provide open-source code and detailed documentation for each template, including:
  • Problem description and implementation process.
  • Technical guides with examples and API references.
  • Video demos.
• Organize workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions to support the developer community.

The 5 project templates:

1. WhaleTrack:

Functionality: Tracks on-chain transactions from whale wallets and analyzes trends using AI based on on-chain data.

Value: Provides an in-depth on-chain data analysis tool for Cardano users and traders.

2. Model weights on NFT:

Functionality: Stores and reuses AI model weights via Cardano NFTs.

Value: Creates a decentralized method to manage, verify, and commercialize AI models.

3. Create NFT by prompting:

Functionality: Uses generative AI (e.g., Stable Diffusion, LLMs) to create content and mint NFTs directly on Cardano.

Value: Simplifies the NFT creation process, attracting artists and new users to the ecosystem.

4. AI model validation via smart contract:

Functionality: Implements a smart contract that allows sending inputs to an AI model, receiving outputs, and testing the model's accuracy on-chain.

Value: Establishes a foundation for verifying the correctness and reliability of AI in decentralized applications.

5. Face recognition with DID:

Functionality: Develops an AI-powered facial recognition system that stores related data in a smart contract and authenticates identity via a Decentralized Identifier (DID).

Value: Expands the application of DIDs and AI in decentralized identity and authentication solutions.

Expected outcome:

This template suite will enable any AI developer to quickly build and deploy DeAI projects on Cardano. This will drive the expansion of the Cardano ecosystem and encourage innovation in the field of AI and blockchain integration.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

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

This project will generate positive impacts for the Cardano ecosystem, including:

• Creation of integrated AI projects on the Cardano Blockchain: These project templates will enable the community to quickly adopt and apply technology to real-world applications, enhancing their understanding and usage of blockchain.
• Contribution to Cardano's Open-source library: Currently, the number of AI guidance resources on Cardano is very limited, causing difficulties for many developers when implementing projects. Our project will provide ready-to-use templates, reducing research and experimentation time. The developed project templates will be publicly released and shared on open-source platforms, offering valuable resources to others.
• Driving AI developer community engagement: AI is rapidly advancing, but most developers still opt for platforms like Ethereum or Solana due to Cardano's lack of sample projects and support tools. By providing AI templates on Cardano, we help attract more AI developers to this ecosystem.
• Providing practical resources for AI development on Cardano: The availability of 5 AI-blockchain integrated project templates will pave the way for more innovative solutions, enabling development teams to quickly bring ideas to reality instead of starting from scratch.
• This project aligns with Cardano's strategy to expand its open-source resources, contributing to skill enhancement and fostering developer creativity in building projects that combine AI with blockchain.

How we will measure impact (KPIs):

We will track and report the following quantitative and qualitative metrics to demonstrate the project's success:

Developer Adoption (within the first 6 months post-release):

• Achieve 10+ forks/downloads on the GitHub source code repository.
• Achieve 30+ stars on GitHub as an indicator of quality and interest.

Community engagement:

• Monitor and analyze the number of questions, improvement suggestions, and feedback across community channels (GitHub Issues, Discord, Telegram). The goal is to foster a positive and constructive discussion flow.

How we will share results with the Cardano community:

We are committed to transparent operations and sharing all value with the Cardano community through:

• Full Open-source code: All source code, documentation, and guides will be released on GitHub under the MIT license, allowing anyone to freely use and modify them.
• Transparent progress reports: We will provide monthly reports and Proof of Achievement for each milestone completed.
• Public documentation and video guides: All documentation and videos will be published on YouTube and social media platforms to maximize accessibility.
• Organizing workshops/webinars: We will host at least one online workshop to guide the community on using the project templates and answer questions directly.

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & 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?

Our team is composed of seasoned developers and blockchain educators with a strong background in AI, Cardano, and decentralized technology. We have consistently secured funding from multiple Catalyst rounds, demonstrating our ability to execute innovative projects within the Cardano ecosystem. Some of our notable projects include:

The Moderntensor project won 1st prize in the Cardano Blockchain Hackathon 2025.

Our project funded:

• Fund 10 Funded Project: "🇻🇳 Vietnam Cardano Catalyst - NFT Exchange testing and development environment helps young people approach with the Web3.0 platform"
• Fund 11 Funded Projects:
• "Dualtarget for ADA-Holders (Staking and increasing assets) with a decentralized automated trading bot"
• "🇻🇳 The Complete Aiken Course Cardano: From Zero to Expert!"
• Fund 12 Funded Project: "Open source dynamic assets (Token/NFT) generator (CIP68)"
• Fund 13 Funded Project: “[BUTC] Fueling Growth: Cardano Hackathons to Inspire Startup Success”

These achievements not only provide a solid foundation for the current proposal but also affirm our capacity to effectively manage funded initiatives and deliver tangible value to the Cardano ecosystem.

Comprehensive blockchain expertise

Our team possesses deep knowledge and practical experience in blockchain development, AI, and decentralized solutions. Beyond project execution, we have contributed to Cardano through practical implementations and recognized research, such as:

• Article 1: "Students Scientific Research with Cardano Blockchain"
• Article 2: "Students Scientific Research with Cardano Blockchain"
• Article 3: "Scientific research results of students of the University of Transport and Communications 2024"
• Article 4: "Cardano Blockchain Hackathon Vietnam 2024”

This blend of technical skill and active engagement in the Cardano community equips us with the competence and vision to successfully execute this project.

Validation and collaboration

The project's feasibility will be demonstrated through a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), incorporating both quantitative and qualitative measurement methods:

Quantitative metrics:

• Tracking the number of module upgrades and contributions via GitHub.
• Monitoring task completion rates on Trello.
• Measuring adoption through the number of active users on the platform.

Qualitative assessment:

• Conducting user satisfaction surveys to refine the product.
• Assessing stakeholder interest during project presentations.
• Close collaboration with the Cardano community and relevant stakeholders ensures our solution is practical, meets user needs, and aligns with the latest technological advancements.

Financial management and accountability

We are committed to transparent and effective financial management through the following strategies:

• Detailed budget planning: Clear allocation of resources for development, operations, and marketing.
• Transparent cost tracking: Maintaining auditable records of all expenditures.
• Periodic reporting: Providing regular updates to assess financial performance and guide strategic adjustments.

Supported by our team's academic background and project management experience, we adhere to strict budgetary discipline and the highest standards of transparency.

Amplifying impact and open-source commitment

We are not only focused on project completion but also on amplifying its impact through open-source contributions and community engagement. Our tools and solutions will be made publicly available, fostering decentralized innovation and promoting widespread blockchain adoption. Transparency and communication are our guiding principles through open dialogue with stakeholders, regular progress updates, and a collaborative environment, we ensure all parties are engaged in the project's success.

We invite Catalyst to join us in shaping the future of decentralized innovation.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Analysis and design

Milestone Outputs

• Initialize a GitHub repository containing all project templates.
• Develop a project implementation plan, including timelines and deliverables.
• Assign team roles and responsibilities to all members.
• Conduct system design analysis for each template.

Acceptance Criteria

Public GitHub repository created with a descriptive README.md explaining the project objectives and scope.

Detailed project plan outlining timelines, milestones, and tasks for each template.

Team responsibilities documented clearly, including member roles and contributions.

System design report for each template, including:

• Detailed description of each template project.
• System architecture diagrams (backend, frontend, data flows).
• Functional requirements and use-case analysis

Evidence of Completion

• Link to public GitHub repository with initial project files.
• Project plan document (Google Drive link or PDF) detailing timelines and milestones.
• Team responsibility report (Google Drive link or PDF).
• System design report (PDF) including architecture diagrams, functional requirements, and template descriptions.

Delivery Month

1

Cost

8214

Progress

20 %

Milestone Title

Template development and testing phase 1

Milestone Outputs

• Develop WhaleTrack: Implement on-chain data querying and AI analysis to track whale wallet transactions and provide trend insights.
• Develop model weights on NFT: Store and retrieve AI model weights on Cardano NFTs to enable reuse and verification of models.
• Conduct functional testing for both templates to ensure accurate data tracking, AI analysis, and NFT storage functionality.
• Produce developer reference documentation for each template, including usage examples, API references, and workflow instructions.

Acceptance Criteria

• WhaleTrack correctly identifies whale wallet transactions and outputs trend analysis on testnet.
• Model weights NFT template successfully stores and retrieves AI model weights with verification.
• All unit and integration tests for both templates pass successfully (100%).
• Documentation is complete and provides step-by-step guidance for developers to use templates.

Evidence of Completion

• GitHub commits showing source code for WhaleTrack and Model weights NFT templates.
• Video demos demonstrating whale transaction tracking and model weight storage/retrieval.
• Test reports (PDF) confirming successful execution of functional and integration tests.
• Public API and usage documentation (PDF or Markdown) for both templates.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

14197

Progress

40 %

Milestone Title

Template development and testing phase 2

Milestone Outputs

• Develop “Create NFT by prompting” template :Implement AI-generated content workflow (e.g., Stable Diffusion / LLM) and mint NFTs directly on Cardano.
• Develop smart contract AI testing template: Implement smart contracts to send inputs to AI models, receive outputs, and validate model accuracy.
• Conduct functional testing for each template to ensure correct execution of AI and blockchain interactions.
• Produce developer reference documentation for each template, including usage examples, API references, and workflow instructions.

Acceptance Criteria

• Template 1 successfully generates content via AI and mints NFT on Cardano testnet.
• Template 2 smart contracts correctly execute input/output tests for AI models, with verification of accuracy.
• All unit and integration tests for both templates pass successfully (100%).
• Documentation is clear, complete, and provides step-by-step guidance for developers to use templates.

Evidence of Completion

• GitHub commits showing source code for both templates.
• Video demos showing NFT generation and AI smart contract testing.
• Test reports (PDF) showing successful execution of functional and integration tests.
• Public API and user documentation (PDF) for both templates.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

14197

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Template development and testing phase 3

Milestone Outputs

• Develop “AI face recognition” template:
• Implement AI-based facial recognition system that stores face data on Cardano smart contracts.
• Each scan verifies the identity and returns the corresponding DID (Decentralized identifier).
• Conduct functional testing to ensure correct matching, verification, and DID retrieval.
• Produce developer reference documentation for each template, including usage examples, API references, and workflow instructions.

Acceptance Criteria

• AI face recognition accurately matches scanned faces with stored data on testnet and returns the correct DID.
• All unit and integration tests for the template pass successfully (100%).
• Documentation is clear, complete, and provides step-by-step guidance for developers to use templates.

Evidence of Completion

• GitHub commits showing source code for the Face Recognition template.
• Video demo demonstrating face scans, matching, and DID retrieval on testnet.
• Test report (PDF) confirming successful execution of functional and integration tests.
• Public API and usage documentation (PDF or Markdown) for the template.

Delivery Month

4

Cost

9729

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Finalization and release

Milestone Outputs

• Release the full of 5 AI-integrated Blockchain templates on GitHub.
• Complete all documentation, including developer guides and template-specific tutorials.
• Host seminar/workshop to demonstrate how to use the SDK.
• Collect and integrate final feedback from beta testing.
• Close-out report
• Close-out video

Acceptance Criteria

• All templates are stable, tested, and functional on Cardano testnet.
• Documentation is comprehensive, clear, and publicly available.
• At least one live session (webinar/workshop) conducted with recordings shared publicly.
• Feedback from at least 20 developers incorporated or addressed.
• Close-out report includes content as required by the community
• Close-out video includes content as required by the community

Evidence of Completion

• GitHub release with all code and documentation.
• Links to video recordings of workshops/webinars.
• Survey results or written feedback from beta testers.
• Link to close-out report
• Link to close-out video

Delivery Month

5

Cost

9856

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

SUMMARY

Milestone 1: Analysis and design

Estimated cost for this phase: 8214 ADA ⇔ 14.62%

Milestone 2: Template development and testing phase 1

Estimated cost for this phase: 14197 ADA ⇔ 25.26%

Milestone 3: Template development and testing phase 2

Estimated cost for this phase: 14197 ADA ⇔ 25.26%

Milestone 4: Template development and testing phase 3

Estimated cost for this phase: 9729 ADA ⇔ 17.31%

Milestone 5: Finalization and release

Estimated cost for this phase: 9856 ADA ⇔ 17.54%

Total Costs: 56193 ADA

Detail the budget of project below here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RkHwAGHH4cQCECgC3Q7Tkb036F2ldovwhhS6Pg8wuPI/edit?usp=sharing

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

The requested funding with amount 56193ADA represents excellent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem because it directly supports the creation of open-source, high-impact tools that lower the barrier for AI developers to build decentralized AI (DeAI) applications on Cardano. Our budget has been carefully calculated to cover all essential aspects of project delivery, including development, documentation, video tutorials, and community engagement, without unnecessary overhead.

Each component of the budget reflects the real effort and resources needed to produce fully functional AI integration templates: from AI model implementation and blockchain integration to user-friendly guides and workshops. By providing five ready-to-use, open-source AI project templates, the funds will enable developers worldwide to rapidly experiment and deploy DeAI solutions on Cardano, fostering ecosystem growth and innovation.

Moreover, the proposed costs align with industry-standard rates for software development, content creation, and community outreach in our region, ensuring efficiency and transparency. The combination of high-quality deliverables, community support, and open-source availability ensures that every ada spent generates tangible and lasting benefits for the Cardano ecosystem.

In short, this project maximizes the return on investment by producing reusable, educational, and deployable tools that will accelerate developer adoption and stimulate further AI innovation on Cardano.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes