Pi Network co-founder Dr. Chengdiao Fan is set to speak at Consensus 2026 in Miami on May 6, delivering a session titled “Aligning Web3, AI, and Blockchain for Utility” at the Convergence Stage, six days before Protocol 23 brings full smart contracts to the Pi blockchain on May 11. Summary Fan’s session argues that verified human identity is the competitive advantage that AI cannot replicate, directly connecting Pi’s 18 million verified users to the AI era’s core governance problem. Pi Network has completed over 526 million human KYC validation tasks and runs 421,000 active Mainnet nodes entering Consensus week. Protocol 23, Pi’s most significant upgrade, launches May 11, introducing full smart contract functionality and transforming Pi into a programmable blockchain. Pi Network’s official X account confirmed that Dr. Fan will speak May 6 from 11:15 to 11:35 AM EDT at the Convergence Stage. Her presentation argues that as AI lowers the barriers to building products, competition increasingly centres on authentic human data, verified user acquisition, and trusted participation. This is the infrastructure Pi has been building since 2019. As crypto.news reported, Pi Network is an official sponsor of Consensus 2026, with co-founder Nicolas Kokkalis joining a May 7 panel titled “How to Prove You’re Human in an AI World (Without Doxing Yourself).” As crypto.news documented, Protocol 23 is scheduled for May 11, six days after Consensus 2026 closes, introducing full smart contract functionality and unlocking decentralised applications, exchanges, and real-world asset tokenisation on Pi for the first time. The Consensus timing creates maximum public visibility immediately before launch. As crypto.news tracked, PI rose more than 5% on April 29 as both founders were confirmed for Consensus 2026, with the token near $0.187 entering conference week. The official minepi.com blog confirmed full schedule details and session descriptions for both founders.
