Space and Time, a blockchain indexing startup, has announced a new feature it calls Prompt-to-SQL, which allows its users to perform blockchain data analysis without any formal knowledge of the SQL language, all thanks to an AI chatbot.
SQL, short for Structured Query Language, is an industry-standard domain-specific language for interacting with databases. It’s a powerful way for programmers to express how they want to read or change the data inside many types of database architectures. Because of its relative complexity, data analysts must be proficient in the language to perform their job well.
Less technical people who want to create unique visualizations or analysis will often be unable to work with the databases directly, relying on other people or fairly limited visual tools. Space and Time, which specializes in providing advanced historical and current blockchain data, saw AI as the solution to this natural friction in its product.
The company has now built the OpenAI-based Houston chatbot, which specializes in translating natural language into well-made SQL requests that can be used to interact with Space and Time data troves. The bot is accessed through the Space and Time Studio interface, which offers a full kit to create data pipelines, dashboards and ML/AI models.
“AI-powered SQL is a game-changer for businesses that run a lean analytics team,” said Scott Dykstra, CTO and Co-Founder of Space and Time. He explained that Houston makes it possible to “generate SQL or Python scripts from prompts, ask natural-language questions about data and get back an accurate visualization of the answer, and load in new datasets.”
“Whether the focus is indexed blockchain data or off-chain data from your business, discovering, querying and building on that data is just a few prompts away,” Dykstra concluded.
AI has been tremendously promising in popular perception after the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. And though some believe it won’t be at least a few decades until AI is able to replace programmers, most agree that it is a valuable tool for small or repetitive tasks.
SQL queries are a good example of a fairly straightforward operation that often just requires knowing the language itself. AI can be extremely helpful to programmers and non-programmers alike, either augmenting their existing capabilities or providing basic capabilities in a pinch.
The Houston bot has been built in partnership with ChainML, a startup helping Web3 companies integrate AI. Though its models are based on OpenAI technology, they are not just “ChatGPT wrappers” like some other popular AI integrations in crypto.
“We are excited to enable Houston with our open-source framework for building applications using AI agents that provides intent detection,” said Ron Bodkin, CEO and Founder of ChainML.
Space and Time is a blockchain startup backed by Microsoft’s venture arm M12. It offers data indexing for most popular blockchains such as Ethereum, Polygon, BNB, Sui, with verification offered by its custom Proof-of-SQL zero knowledge proof scheme.
Other Stories:
Dubai Cryptocurrency Regulator Suspends BitOasis’ License for Failure to Meet Mandated Conditions
Crypto Investment Firm Paradigm Criticizes SEC for Pursuing Bittrex
Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Calls for Scalable Solutions to Transform Bitcoin
