A Recap of Consensus 2024

As a major event on the annual tech calendar, Consensus is an important gathering that brings notable names together from Web3, blockchain, and crypto. For Consensus 2024, the three-day gathering was held in Austin, Texas from May 29 – 31. Although the event has ended, there are still plenty of opportunities to learn from what was shared and how it relates to your place in the industry. 

No matter which parts of the event you’d like to learn from, all of the content is available directly through the Consensus website. Below, we’ll highlight some of the notable activities across the three days in Austin to give you an idea of where to start. 

Some of the Big Names

At a Consensus event, you can be sure that some big names will be present from year to year. 2024 was no exception, as plenty of notable speakers took to the stage. Let’s take a look at the highlights:

• Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Almost certainly the biggest name to speak at Consensus and a United States presidential candidate in 2024, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. took the stage to talk about important topics like liberty and the future of cryptocurrency. 
• Ron Wyden. Another political figure, Ron Wyden is an Oregon senator and a supporter of open internet measures and free access to digital platforms. A portion of his discussion covered the matter of creating the right policies for the future of artificial intelligence. 
• Chris Dixon. A notable venture capital investor and the Founder and Managing Partner of a16z crypto, Chris Dixon presented a session titled “A Blockchain-Based Vision for a New Internet”. While blockchain is most closely associated with cryptocurrency in the minds of many, Dixon discusses how blockchains could serve to fix the internet and decentralize the online economy. 

The AI Summit

AI is everywhere these days, and it is a topic that received plenty of attention at Consensus 2024. On Friday, there was a dedicated AI Summit to foster discussions around many of the important topics that AI brings to the table. The ongoing uncertainty over the future of AI and how it will shape both work and the world around us leads to fertile discussion. 

As part of the AI Summit on Friday, there are plenty of different sessions that zoomed in on different parts of this discussion and how they might play out moving forward. For example, Brendan Eich, CEO of Brave Software, gave a talk about how the move toward AI does not have to mean the end of privacy. Many people are concerned about what AI will mean for privacy in the decades to come, and Mr. Eich argued that this might not be the grave issue that some people expect. 

Going in a different direction, another session discussed the role that AI is likely to play – and is already playing – in art. It would seem that AI tools and true art are at odds, but that might not necessarily be the case. Three speakers took part in this session, including artists Shavonne Wong and Claire Silver, along with Jeff Wilser, the host of the “AI-Curious” podcast. 

Enjoying the Event

Some of these kinds of industry gatherings have a reputation for being a bit boring and stale. Sure, plenty of information is shared, but not all of them are the most exciting experience. 

That’s far from the case at Consensus. With many events and parties to attend along with the main sessions and keynotes, attendees have no reason to be bored at any point from start to finish. 

For those who like to get out on the town to meet new people with similar interests and experiences, plenty of Official Partner Events were on the schedule. For example, there was the Stellar X WisdomTree Happy Hour or the Ripple x Nuvei Rooftop Cocktails outing. Prefer to get a bit of physical activity in before settling in for presentations and discussions? A run club was offered for anyone to join. On the spectator side of things, there was also a Karate Combat event presented in Ballroom A. All of these experiences offered the chance to not only have some fun but also meet new people and expand your network in the industry. 

A Huge Success

As is always the case, Consensus offered a tremendous amount of value to those who were in attendance at the event. Likewise, anyone who watched online – whether live or after the fact – stands to learn directly from the knowledgeable speakers who shared their time and wisdom on the various stages.