James Tromans, Head of Web3 at Google Cloud, highlights the potential of smart contracts in solving real-world business problems and calls for a shift in focus from token speculation.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of Web3 and blockchain technology, James Tromans, the Head of Web3 at Google Cloud, is urging the industry to redirect its attention towards solving real-world business challenges rather than fixating on token prices. While traditional finance (TradFi) remains a major driver of blockchain adoption, Tromans identifies digital identity and supply chain as promising sectors for innovation.
In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Tromans emphasized the importance of concentrating on the practical applications of smart contracts and their role in addressing business needs:
“What are the business problems that you want to get executed? When you’re running a smart contract to execute some business logic to solve your business problem, you’re using a token, but the token is not the thing, it’s the business problem that’s the thing.”
Tromans expressed his desire for the industry to move away from the prevalent discourse surrounding tokens and speculation, emphasizing that these aspects do not define the essence of Web3.
One of Google Cloud’s key blockchain services is the Blockchain Node Engine, which provides users with a self-hosted node for accessing blockchain data, conducting transactions, developing smart contracts, and running decentralized applications (dApps).
Tromans contended that blockchain technology and smart contracts have the potential to drive innovation, reduce operational costs, and create new revenue streams. Despite the challenges posed by the bear market, Google Cloud has witnessed robust demand from enterprises seeking to incorporate blockchain technology into their operations:
“Over the past 12 to 15 months in the traditional enterprise space, interest in leveraging blockchain technology to improve efficiency, reduce cost, and improve the speed of innovation hasn’t gone away.”
Most of this demand has emanated from the TradFi sector, primarily aimed at addressing fundamental finance and accounting challenges. However, Google Cloud’s customers are increasingly exploring blockchain-based solutions in the realms of digital identity and supply chain management.
Tromans cautioned that mass adoption of blockchain technology may be hindered until user experience significantly improves. He emphasized the need to abstract complex technical aspects, such as private keys, from the average end-user:
“If the average end user, who isn’t a computer scientist, who doesn’t understand blockchain, has to know about their private keys — we’ve got it wrong. They have to be abstracted away.”
Tromans drew a parallel with web browsing, where users seamlessly utilize complex protocols like TCP-IP and HTTPS without needing to understand their intricacies. He suggested that Web3 should aspire to provide a similarly user-friendly experience.
In conclusion, Tromans urged Web3 developers to focus on creating frictionless solutions for users, ensuring the secure management of private keys and data, and ultimately delivering a fantastic user experience. This shift towards practicality and user-centric design could pave the way for broader blockchain adoption.
