Badasses in Tech 2022 Predictions

Gregory Rocco is Co-Founder of Spruce, a decentralized ID and data management toolkit.

Will there be an increase in decentralized data storage and network adoption by enterprises?

Absolutely! We’re already seeing increased inbound interest from enterprises, as well as the government. The US government is even making strides toward zero-trust architecture systems. The timing of this increased interest aligns with a growing ecosystem of startups geared towards solving decentralized data storage.

As consumers become ever more aware of the tradeoffs inherent in a world where they trade a “free” product for unfettered access to their data, enterprises will eventually give users more control of their own data by decentralizing it.

How will blockchain technology influence culture?

The better framing may be how will culture influence blockchain? The rapid adoption of blockchain-based tech, such as NFTs, signals an expansion in crypto’s core audiences to include creators and culture makers.

Yet, NFTs are far more powerful than just art. There’s a whole realm of utility that’s being unlocked that will make it much easier to perform tasks like proof of ownership and proof of authenticity. Think unlocking doors, checking into flights, passing through customs, applying for jobs, verifying membership status. It’s these aspects of authenticity and rights that will change the way we all think about digital content and access.

Thanks to NFTs, all of these things can be done in a permissionless, trustless way that preserves privacy and puts users in complete control of their identities and data. With nuanced control over which data points are shared with which services, users can enjoy a more user-centric digital experience away from Big Tech.

Will there be regulation?

The government needs to first regulate data collection, storage, and monetization to prioritize user privacy. It’s less about confidentiality and more about having proper, reasonable controls over who collects our data, how it flows between parties and who has access to it. The current state of affairs gives users little control over their own information - and that’s really what should change.?

How will blockchain technology impact the ways in which consumers interact with enterprises?

Blockchain technology has served as the greatest event to give millions of people public/private key pairs that they control with a great user experience around it. I believe that it will enable new ways in which users can access enterprise services with their blockchain accounts (identifiers) that they control, which will slowly lead towards less dependencies on big login providers such as Google or Meta. Today, a handful of internet giants control millions of identifiers - tomorrow, there will be?a new self-custodial option for users who wish to assume more control and responsibility over their own digital identity.

Badasses in Tech is a podcast created by Growth Stack and hosted by Summer Falgiano providing exclusive insights from individuals at the forefront of technological innovation and leadership.

Growth Stack is an integrated media agency that partners with companies to accelerate revenue generation through digital content.