In the landscape of AI and data management, the provenance of data and models is becoming increasingly important (see [1](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2019/05/22/four-reasons-data-provenance-is-vital-for-analytics-and-ai/), [2](https://blog.datafund.net/knowing-your-data-is-knowing-your-ai-why-data-provenance-matters-1e3484068cea)). Ethical practices and regulatory frameworks mandate that the origins and transformations of data and models used in AI are transparently tracked and recorded (see [3](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj)). Provenance ensures accountability, integrity, and trustworthiness of data, which is essential for ethical AI applications. Data and models with recorded provenance are inherently more valuable and reliable, making them preferable for use in AI applications. By ensuring comprehensive provenance, we enhance the value and usability of data and models, promoting trust and compliance in AI systems. Provenance and interoperability also allows for new use cases to emerge, such as crowd sourcing of foundational models, built on contributed datasets. Swarm decentralized storage offers unique features such as immutability, self-sovereignty, and independence from any single provider or data silo. Leveraging these capabilities, along with Layer 2 (L2) solutions, we should aim to store datasets and AI models in such a secure and decentralized manner. The project will address the provenance challenge by implementing a system (Toolkit) that tracks and records the origin and transformations of data and models as they pass through various stages and users. This solution will employ Web3 technologies, specifically Swarm storage and blockchain with smart contracts, to enable secure attestation and verification of data along the chain. Code will be open sourced and available for the ecosystem to use, building towards a foundation for interoperability.

The business use case for this project centers on providing a toolkit using decentralized technologies that can be used for data and model provenance, a regulatory requirement with significant business benefits. This Toolkit, leveraging Swarm decentralized storage and blockchain technology, will appeal to numerous parties across industries such as healthcare, finance, and research. By being open-source, it invites community contributions, fostering continuous improvement and expansion based on collective needs. Moreover, in the context of [Datafund](https://datafund.io/) and its focus on AI, this Toolkit will be integral to solutions supporting decentralized AI and the Fair Data Economy. The open-source components will be actively used and maintained as part of Datafund's business initiatives, drawing in a larger ecosystem of users. This dual approach of regulatory compliance and business integration ensures sustained interest and ongoing development, making the Toolkit a vital resource in the future data economy.

The project is expected to position Swarm and Web3 technologies as independent solutions for ensuring data and model provenance, complying with regulatory requirements and increasing the trust of and the value of the data and models. This will benefit the Web3 ecosystem, particularly decentralized storage and Swarm, while also providing significant advantages for AI developers, regulators, Swarm users and communities, and the broader Web3 community.