From Technology to Finance, how Ilya Polosukhin is reshaping the blockchain ecosystem

In the two vastly different fields of artificial intelligence and blockchain, few have achieved groundbreaking success like Ilya Polosukhin. This tech leader has not only profoundly changed the trajectory of machine learning but also set new standards for user-friendliness in the crypto world through the innovative design of NEAR Protocol. His career itself is a history of technological evolution, from Google’s AI research lab to the core stage of blockchain, each step pushing the boundaries of the industry.

Moscow Genius’s Path in Artificial Intelligence at Google

Ilya Polosukhin graduated from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia’s top university known for training computer scientists and physicists. His academic background laid a solid foundation for subsequent technological innovations.

Around 2010, Polosukhin joined Google, beginning a seven-year career at the world’s largest tech company. During this time, he mainly contributed to the development of TensorFlow — Google’s open-source AI and machine learning framework, which later became an essential tool for researchers and AI practitioners worldwide. In 2017, he further contributed to TensorFlow Lite, a lightweight version enabling machine learning to run on mobile devices and edge computing platforms, greatly expanding AI application scope. At this stage, Polosukhin had already demonstrated a deep understanding of open-source ecosystem development.

Building a Scalable Blockchain Platform

After leaving Google, Ilya Polosukhin shifted his focus to the emerging blockchain world. He co-founded NEAR Protocol, a platform dedicated to solving blockchain scalability and usability issues. Unlike many overly complex blockchain systems, NEAR Protocol is known for its simple design philosophy, streamlining the development process of decentralized applications (DApps), making it easier for developers to build blockchain-based solutions, including DeFi systems.

2021 marked a pivotal moment for the NEAR ecosystem — that year, Aurora, an Ethereum Layer-2 scaling solution based on NEAR Protocol, officially launched. The introduction of Aurora demonstrated Polosukhin’s team’s dedication to blockchain interoperability and performance optimization. This solution allows applications within the Ethereum ecosystem to achieve significant performance improvements while maintaining security.

Driving Global Crypto Industry Ecosystem Innovation

Ilya Polosukhin’s innovative projects have had a profound impact on the entire tech and investment landscape. TensorFlow has become a foundational tool for the global AI community, used by millions of developers; meanwhile, NEAR Protocol is gradually becoming a model for blockchain usability solutions.

More importantly, the “user-friendly” design philosophy advocated by Polosukhin has become an industry standard. Many subsequent blockchain projects have begun to emulate NEAR’s approach, prioritizing user experience in system design. This shift from a purely technical focus to a user-centric mindset is lowering the barriers to blockchain adoption, making it easier for ordinary users to participate in decentralized ecosystems.

Evolving Future Vision

Under Ilya Polosukhin’s leadership, NEAR Protocol remains committed to improving scalability and enhancing user experience. From the initial protocol design to the launch of Aurora and ongoing ecosystem development, his team is following a clear technical roadmap.

This direction has become a benchmark for the entire industry — user-centered design, modular architecture, and emphasis on open-source ecosystems are increasingly adopted by more projects. Polosukhin’s practice proves a fundamental truth: true technological leadership is not about creating the most complex systems but the most useful and user-friendly ones.

From TensorFlow to NEAR Protocol, from Google labs to the forefront of blockchain, Ilya Polosukhin’s career trajectory exemplifies how a visionary tech leader continues to innovate across different fields. We can expect that, under his ongoing influence, blockchain technology will continue to expand into broader applications, and the integration of AI and blockchain will generate more disruptive possibilities.