Users can now access gated and paid APIs, including AI inference, through a zero-knowledge protocol that removes the requirement to link identities with data. The Ethereum Foundation and the Open Anonymity project developed the tool, called zkAPI, to enable unlinkability in digital transactions by allowing users to deposit ether into a vault and sign a zero-knowledge proof to receive private inference.

The protocol is integrated into OA-chat, a platform that recently opened for signups. The collaboration, which included contributions from Vitalik Buterin, aims to eliminate the role of middlemen who mandate the linking of personal identities and data to access paid digital services.