Google Cloud | Layer Zero for Crypto
HEAD OF GOOGLE CLOUD SAYS IT IS A LAYER ZERO FOR CRYPTO
Head of Web3 strategy for Google hints on making Google Cloud a layer zero for other blockchains.
Recently, a lot of big brands have been plunging into the Web3 space in full force so as not to be left out and Google is no exception. In fact, Google is set on becoming the pillar of Web3.
Few days ago, Richard Widmann who is the head of Web3 strategy and cloud for Google stated that Google cloud is a layer zero for crypto.
WHAT DOES HE MEAN BY GOOGLE CLOUD BECOMING LAYER ZERO?
Richard stated at the Mainnet Conference in New York City which took place from 21st to 23rd of September, 2022 that he is working to build a massive bridge between Web3 brands and blockchain.
He revealed that he plans to achieve this by offering node services to blockchains through Google Cloud. That is, Google Cloud will be providing layer-1 blockchains with the nodes they'll use to run & power the crypto network, thereby making it layer zero as it will run beneath the blockchains.
Google Cloud, in this scenario, can be thought of as the foundational building blocks for blockchains and according to Richard, he does not want "only some people to have access to this foundation."
Richard Widmann went further to differentiate Google's layer zero vision from that of Avalanche network which claims to be layer zero. He pointedly noted that Avalanche network is a layer one blockchain and not layer zero as it claims because it doesn't have a cloud business rather it runs on data centres just like every other layer one blockchains.
"Any layer one protocol is running compute containers generally on a cloud of some kind," Richard said. "They try to set themselves as that foundational layer, but, ultimately, it's all running on top of a compute container hosted somewhere, and that's where the cloud providers come in."
While other professionals working in Web2 companies are still sceptical about what the future of crypto holds, Richard believes in a decentralized future where crypto is mainstream. He even views Google as a brand that aligns with what crypto preaches: decentralization and open-source development.
He admits that if big tech companies like Amazon or Google end up controlling the vast majority of blockchain nodes, then it is a problem because it will contrast the entire purpose of decentralized technology. That is why he emphasized on the fact that blockchain nodes have to be decentralized.
The Google Web3, Cloud Lead also debunked the new gospel that centralization is not needed in any aspect of the economy by attesting to the fact that not everything can be decentralized because "there are some things where a censorship, resistant, distributed source of truth makes sense which don't require immutable ledgers."
This move only goes to prove that Google is ahead in its acknowledgement and adoption of Web3.
Guess we probably saw it coming because earlier this year, Google Cloud announced its ambitions to go fully into Web3 by providing back-end services to developers who want to create their own Web3 software. A separate team, the Google Cloud Digital Assets Team was even established to handle this motive.
"The Cloud provision --we're a layer zero," Widmann said.