‘Untangling Web3’ Podcast: Your guide to demystifying the digital revolution

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While I was attending IEEE COINS last month, nChain’s Dr. Michaella Pettit plugged her colleagues’ new podcast, “Untangling Web3″ (UW3), as a well-produced resource for those wishing to learn about Web3 and the technologies that surround it, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), IPv6, Internet of Things (IoT), and more. My ears perked up straight away.

Upon further investigation, I learned the podcast is hosted by two of my favorite personalities at nChain, Jack Davies and Alec Burns, both of who I see regularly at Dr. Craig Wright’s The Bitcoin Masterclasses and clearly know what they are talking about.

Burns is an avid gamer and has a deep fascination with the metaverse, or “3D Internet,” as he likes to call it. While the metaverse is mostly known as a platform for immersive games, Burns believes it will go far beyond gaming and reframe digital interactions as we know them. He says we’re at the forefront of a digital revolution, and this is where UW3 comes in to explore these changes with individuals at the forefront.

Davies has been working with nChain for five years, and blockchain technology is part of his DNA. He sees Web3 as a natural extension of Bitcoin and what it was designed to do, including a more efficient means of payment, data exchange, and transacting many other forms of value. He believes Web3 is about taking Bitcoin’s key ideas and applying them to the entire Internet to realize a more peer-to-peer version of the online economy.

The podcast is produced by Emma Camilleri, whose content work for nChain has always impressed me, as do the golden branding nuggets she leaves throughout her personal newsletter and website. She consumes podcasts like crazy and is delighted to have the opportunity to produce her own in partnership with Burns and Davies. Camilleri’s goal with UW3 is to simplify complex concepts so anyone can understand how this tech will impact their lives.

In addition to all their talents, these fabulous three have a solid sense of humor and know how to laugh while learning. This is why I’m such a fan of what they are doing, and hope that you enjoy this podcast as much as I do, it really is fun to listen to. Here’s a bit more detail from the creators themselves on the goal of the podcast and what they expect you, the listener, to get out of it.

Becky: What inspired you to start the Untangling Web3 Podcast? Give us the backstory!

Alec: Starting the Untangling Web3 Podcast was like setting out on an adventure of discovery. We all saw Web3 as this vast, exciting, but oh-so-confusing and unknown landscape. It’s broad, it’s intangible, and let’s be honest, it’s filled with things like the metaverse that can make even tech-savvy folks scratch their heads.

We’d hear people talk about Web3 topics, and their eyes would glaze over. It was clear to us that there was a need for something more down-to-earth. So, we thought, why not take all this Web3 complexity and break it down into bite-sized, fun pieces? Something everyone could understand, even our grandmas.

That’s how the Untangling Web3 Podcast was born. We rolled up our sleeves, got some friends together, and started tackling these broad and very intangible topics. We wanted to make Web3 real, practical, and relatable.

Our goal was simple: help everyday people get what Web3 is all about and how it could affect their lives in plain language. No jargon, no complexity, just fun, engaging conversations that make you say, “Oh, now I get it!”

From explaining what on earth an NFT (non-fungible token) is to how Web3 might change the way we shop, socialize, or even vote, we wanted to take these abstract ideas and turn them into something you could touch, feel, and use.

In short, we made it our mission to untangle Web3, one laugh, one story, one simple explanation at a time. Because the future doesn’t have to be confusing, it just has to be fun!

Becky: Yes exactly, I love it! What are some of the topics under the Web3 umbrella that you have hit or plan to hit in upcoming episodes?

Alec: Exploring the Web3 realm with Jack and Emma has genuinely been an eye-opening journey. We’ve navigated the intricacies of blockchain, unpacked the potentials of both fungible and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), understood the utility of micropayments, and delved into the significance of data sovereignty and the metaverse. Each topic has reinforced the growing relevance and depth of the Web3 space.

But believe it or not, there’s a lot more ground to cover. On our radar are topics like central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the synergy between the Internet of Things (IoT) and Web3, and the ever-important domain of digital identity.

The pace of web3 is both invigorating and challenging. It’s evolving rapidly, and as it does, the breadth of topics under its umbrella seems to widen. As we continue our exploration, our goal remains the same: to bring clarity and insight to our listeners. With every podcast episode, we aim to discuss, understand, and shed light on another facet of this expansive domain. The journey is as informative as it is exciting, and we’re genuinely keen to see where it takes us next.

Becky: Amazing. I can’t wait. Talk to me about the guests you have brought on to the show and what types of guests you are looking to join you in future episodes?

Alec: We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a diverse range of insightful voices on our podcast so far.

Our journey kicked off with Robert Rice, a gaming veteran and metaverse pioneer, who had us all in stitches. He made us feel like we were part of an epic adventure as he explained the complexities of this new digital frontier.

From there, we switched gears a bit with Rafaela Azevedo from The Chain Academy, who brought a fresh, ground-level perspective to our discussions. Rafaela has a knack for making abstract Web3 concepts tangible and accessible. Her insights into the practical applications of Web3 technologies provided us with an invaluable understanding of how this new digital era impacts our day-to-day lives.

Then, we had the privilege of hosting Colin Fitzpatrick from the Web3Leaders Podcast. As one of the early adopters of Web3, Colin provided a deep dive into the intersection of AI and Web3. His wealth of knowledge and ability to forecast trends was like having a crystal ball into the future of this space.

Looking ahead, we’re beyond excited about the big guests we have lined up. We’re talking industry heavyweights who are shaping the future of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the Internet of Things (IoT), and digital identity. While we have some power-packed episodes in the pipeline, we’re always eager for more insights.

So, if you’re knee-deep in Web3 or if you know someone who is shaping this new digital era and has a unique perspective to share, we’d love to have you on the show. The Web3 universe is dynamic and diverse, and we believe our guests should reflect that. So don’t be shy, reach out to us! Let’s continue this journey of exploration and learning together.

Becky: Absolutely.

Ok, I can’t resist…if you could bring on any special guest to the show—sky is the limit—who would it be and why?? Let’s hear from all of you on this one.

Alec: Elon Musk—One of the most influential individuals on the planet—who claims to have an interest in AI and ‘cryptocurrency’. Give me 10 minutes with him, and I think I’d have him realizing how essential the Web3 paradigm shift is for our future.

Jack: Sam Harris would be my dream guest. I can imagine him having a very interesting take on the Web3 paradigm, especially around its role in re-shaping the broken social media model and how it affects all kinds of public discourse.

Emma: I’d love to have Scott Galloway or Steven Bartlett on the show. They’re both incredibly knowledgeable about tech and marketing and the ways in which they overlap. They frequently share their opinions and predictions for the future, so I’d love to pick their brains for an hour.

Becky: Ah, these are some brilliant names… good luck! Thank you so much Alec and team, keep up the amazing work J!

Subscribe to the Untangling Web3 Podcast here so you don’t miss a future episode!

Watch: The core of Web3 is data ownership