zkML Bootcamp March 2024 Summary
The March cohort of Encode Club’s zkML Bootcamp wrapped up today! In this three-week intensive course, students learnt all about zero-knowledge machine learning.
Thank you to Laurence Kirk & his team of teaching assistants from Extropy for leading the course!
About the Bootcamp
The now-concluded zkML bootcamp offered an intensive three-week dive into the intersection of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) and machine learning (ML). In addition to the core curriculum, participants were treated to guest lectures from various partners such as EZKL and Zama.
Laurence Kirk and the team at Extropy ensured that the bootcamp was a resounding success. As the field of zkML continues to evolve, the insights and experiences gained from this bootcamp will likely empower participants to contribute to this field.
Learning Outcomes
- ZKP Technology and Fully Homomorphic Encryption Unlocked: Participants were introduced to the critical technologies underpinning privacy in computing, starting with the essentials of Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) and Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE).
- Machine Learning Essentials: Attendees gained a thorough understanding of machine learning, from the basics to more advanced tools and typical workflows.
- Introduction to zkML and Its Use Cases: The bootcamp provided a detailed exploration of zkML, focusing on how ZKP technology can be applied within machine learning to protect data privacy.
- Navigating the zkML Timeline and Challenges: Understanding the development timeline and the unique challenges facing zkML was a key outcome of the bootcamp. This insight prepared participants to contribute to the field, aware of the hurdles that lie ahead.
- AI in Zero-Knowledge Games: The intersection of AI and zero-knowledge games offered participants insight on how ZKP can enhance privacy in AI-driven applications, opening up new avenues for innovation in game design.
- The Role of Hardware in Privacy-Preserving Technologies: A critical look at the hardware requirements for implementing zkML solutions provided attendees with a holistic view of the ecosystem, emphasising the importance of specialised hardware in achieving efficient and secure privacy-preserving computations.
- Engaging with the Latest Research: Exposure to the latest research through guest lectures from leading experts and organisations in the field, including EZKL, Giza, Modulus, Ingonyama, and Zama.ai, enriched the learning experience.
Sponsor Workshops
EZKL
Joshia Seam, Ethan Cemer, and Jason from EZKL joined the bootcamp to talk a bit about building ZKML apps on EZKL.
Giza
Lance Davis from Giza gave a presentation on STARKs & how they connect with Machine Learning on their platform.
Modulus
Ryan Cao from Modulus talked to students about GKR, a specialised proving system for 1000 times faster ZKML.
Worldcoin
dcBuilder also joined the programme to provide students with an intro to ZKML & for an exciting AMA session all about Worldcoin!
Ingonyama
Tomer Solberg from Ingonyama joined the bootcamp to give students an overview of reproducibility in zkML.
Zama
For the final sponsor workshop, we had Andrei Stoian from Zama join the bootcamp to talk about privacy preserving machine learning.
Register for our Q2 bootcamps!
Missed our bootcamps this quarter? Join our next cohorts of our Solidity, Expert Solidity, ZK, and AI bootcamps to improve your skills as a Web3 developer!
Find our Q2 bootcamps announcement & the relevant registration links in this Medium announcement.
About Encode Club
Encode Club is a web3 education community learning and building together through fantastic programmes with the leading protocols in the space. Together we organise programmes like education series, bootcamps, hackathons, accelerators both online and in person. We then help our community get jobs and funding for projects and startups. Read more here.
Questions
If you have any questions, please email: bootcamp@encode.club or reach out on Discord.
