1st AI-Enhanced DAO Security (AIDAOS’25)

Innovations through AI and Model-Driven Design

The rise of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) has revolutionized the way digital communities and organizations collaborate, allocate resources, and make decisions. Built on blockchain technology and powered by smart contracts, DAOs promise transparency, decentralization, and automation. However, this promise comes with significant security challenges stemming from complex governance systems, smart contract vulnerabilities, and token economy manipulations, as seen in high-profile incidents like the 2016 DAO hack.

This workshop will explore how AI technologies and model-driven design methodologies can be leveraged to address these challenges. AI techniques such as machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and reinforcement learning offer proactive solutions for real-time anomaly detection, predictive risk management, and adaptive governance. These tools can identify governance vulnerabilities, detect unusual token flow patterns, and optimize tokenomics to improve stakeholder engagement while preventing centralization. Through practical case studies, participants will see how AI-driven methods enhance DAO resilience, monitor system behavior, and help mitigate governance failures.

Additionally, model-driven design principles provide a structured approach to reducing vulnerabilities in DAO development. By systematically modeling governance and organizational structures, DAOs can achieve higher security and scalability, ensuring that the design process aligns with best practices and reduces the risk of coding errors. The workshop will also address the ethical integration of AI to maintain user privacy, ensure fairness, and uphold the core principles of decentralization.

Participants will gain actionable insights into how combining AI, model-driven design, and decentralized technologies can lead to the development of secure, transparent, and adaptive DAOs, paving the way for more robust decentralized ecosystems.

Motivation and Objectives

DAOs have gained significant traction due to their potential to democratize decision-making and improve organizational efficiency. However, high-profile incidents like the 2016 DAO hack highlight the pressing need for robust security measures. This workshop addresses key gaps by:

1. Demonstrating the potential of structured design methodologies for resilient DAOs.
2. Exploring AI’s role in governance optimization, anomaly detection, and proactive risk management.
3. Promoting ethical AI integration to align technological innovation with DAO principles of transparency and decentralization.

Workshop Topics

The workshop will cover the following topics:

1. Introduction to DAOs and Security Challenges:
Overview of governance, smart contract, and token economy vulnerabilities.

2. Structured Design Solutions:
Methods for systematic DAO design to enhance security and scalability.

3. AI for DAO Security:
AI techniques for threat detection, predictive analytics, and anomaly monitoring.
Adaptive governance through dynamic role assignments and scalable voting mechanisms.

4. Case Study Discussion:
Application of AI-driven methods in securing DAOs.

5. Ethical Considerations:
Mitigating algorithmic bias, ensuring transparency, and preserving user privacy.

6. Technical Challenges and Solutions:
Addressing scalability, smart contract upgradeability, and stakeholder trust in AI-driven DAOs.

7. Future Directions:
Autonomous, self-healing DAOs and federated AI for decentralized learning.

Organizers:

• Alex Norta, PhD
  • Senior IEEE Member
  • Tallinn University, Estonia / Dymaxion OÜ, Estonia / University of Pretoria, South Africa
  • [email protected]

Alex Norta is currently a scientist entrepreneur focusing on his blockchain startup. He was an associate professor in the Department of Software Science of TalTech until March 1, 2022 and earlier a researcher at the Oulu University Secure-Programming Group (OUSPG) after having been a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He received his MSc degree (2001) from Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria, and his Ph.D. degree (2007) from the Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands. Currently, Alex is also a scientist at Tallinn University, working on an Estonian Web3 research project for the creative media domain. He is also a member of the Department of Informatics at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

• Akram Hakiri, PhD
  • Professor of Computer Science
  • University of Pau & Pays de l’Adour, France
  • Expertise in decentralized systems, edge computing, and network security.

AKRAM HAKIRI, University of Pau & Pays de l’Adour, France, email: [email protected] Akram Hakiri is an Associate Professor of Computer Sciences and Engineering at the University of Pau & Pays de l‘Adour, France. He was a senior research scientist and researcher at LAAS-CNRS, Toulouse, France, and a visiting research scientist at the Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS) at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. His current research focuses on developing novel solutions to emerging challenges in Blockchain technology, network virtualization, network slicing, management, and orchestration in 5G/6G, Digital Twins modeling, and DRE middleware for embedded system interconnects.

• Anne Laurent, PhD
  • Professor of Computer Science
  • University of Montpellier, LIRMM
  • Specializes in data-driven applications, distributed systems, and knowledge management.

Anne Laurent ([email protected]) is Full Professor in Computer Science at the University of Montpellier. As a membre of the LIRMM, she heads the WEB3 research group. She works on data architectures and artificial intelligence: data warehouses and data lakes, pattern mining, fuzzy logic, semantic Web. She also heads the Data Science Institute of Montpellier, ISDM.

Workshop Format

The workshop will be a half-day event, divided into presentations, a panel discussion, and an interactive hands-on session. The format includes:

• Presentations: Keynotes and invited talks from domain experts.
• Interactive Panel Discussion: Engaging dialogue with researchers, practitioners, and developers.
• Hands-On Session: Guided implementation of AI-enhanced DAO models and threat detection using case studies. This session is conducted by generating conceptual models.

Possible Keynote Speakers

We aim to reach out to experts in this domain, for example:

• Primavera De Filippi – Researcher at CNRS and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University
  • Expertise: Blockchain governance, DAOs, and legal frameworks for decentralized systems
  • Why: Her knowledge of governance models and legal implications of DAOs would be an excellent complement to the technical aspects covered in the workshop.
• Trent McConaghy – Founder of Ocean Protocol
  • Expertise: AI, blockchain, and tokenized data ecosystems
  • Why: With experience in both AI and decentralized systems, Dr. McConaghy could provide key insights on using AI for secure, scalable DAO ecosystems.
• Alexander Norta – Researcher in the DAO + AI domain
  • Expertise: AI, blockchain, and tokenized data ecosystems
  • Why: He supervises a PhD thesis on the topic of DAO + AI. Alex is available as a “Plan B” keynote speaker option to fill in.

Expected Outcomes

• A comprehensive understanding of the role of AI and model-driven methodologies in DAO security.
• Exposure to real-world applications of AI-enhanced solutions for scalable, secure DAOs.
• Insights into ethical AI practices that promote stakeholder trust.
• Potential collaborations between academia and industry for further research and development.

Target Audience

This workshop is intended for researchers, developers, DAO practitioners, blockchain engineers, and policymakers interested in decentralized governance, smart contract security, and AI-driven applications.

Organizational Details

• Duration: Half-day (4 hours)
• Technical Requirements: Projector, whiteboard, and internet access for hands-on activities.
• Expected Number of Participants: 20–40

We believe this workshop aligns with MEDES 2025’s mission to explore emerging applications of data engineering and smart systems in decentralized, secure environments.

Preliminary CFP

Subject: CFP: 1st AI-Enhanced DAO Security (AIDAOS’25) – Workshop at MEDES 2025

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

We are pleased to announce the 1st Workshop on AI-Enhanced DAO Security (AIDAOS’25), co-located with MEDES 2025 in [Conference Location] on [Workshop Date]. This workshop will explore the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Model-Driven Design, and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), addressing security challenges in decentralized governance, smart contracts, and tokenomics.

We invite researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to submit original papers covering (but not limited to) the following topics:

Workshop Topics:

• DAO Security & Smart Contracts:
  • Threat detection in DAOs using AI
  • Formal verification and smart contract security
  • Attack prevention and mitigation in decentralized governance
• AI for DAO Optimization & Governance:
  • AI-driven governance models and voting mechanisms
  • Machine learning for fraud detection in DAOs
  • NLP for proposal analysis and decision-making
• Model-Driven Approaches for DAO Security:
  • Structured DAO design methodologies
  • Enhancing scalability and resilience in DAOs
  • Token economy modeling and risk assessment
• Ethical & Regulatory Considerations:
  • AI bias in decentralized decision-making
  • Privacy-preserving AI techniques for DAOs
  • Legal implications and compliance in AI-enhanced DAOs

Submission Guidelines:

We invite short papers (4-6 pages) and full papers (8-12 pages) in ACM format. All accepted papers will be presented at the workshop and included in the MEDES 2025 proceedings.

• Submission Deadline: 05 September, 2025
• Notification of Acceptance: 25 September, 2025
• Camera-Ready Deadline: 01 October, 2025
• Submission Link: [EasyChair/ConfTool Link]

Workshop Format & Keynote Speakers:

The half-day workshop will feature invited talks, research presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on sessions on AI-enhanced DAO security. We are honored to have Prof. Primavera De Filippi (CNRS, Harvard University) and Dr. Trent McConaghy (Ocean Protocol) as keynote speakers.

Organizers:

• Alex Norta (Tallinn University, Dymaxion OÜ, University of Pretoria)
• Akram Hakiri (University of Pau & Pays de l’Adour, France)
• Anne Laurent (University of Montpellier, LIRMM)

For more details, please visit [Workshop Website Link] or contact us at [Email Address].

We look forward to your contributions and hope to see you at AIDAOS’25 at MEDES 2025!

Best regards,
AIDAOS’25 Organizing Committee
[Your Contact Information]

CFP Dissemmination Strategy

Dissemination Strategy for the AIDAOS’25 Call for Papers (CFP)

To ensure a broad and effective reach for AIDAOS’25, the CFP dissemination strategy will leverage multiple channels, including academic networks, industry professionals, social media, and targeted outreach. The strategy is structured as follows:

1. Academic Dissemination

• Mailing Lists & Research Communities
  • Send CFPs to relevant academic and research mailing lists, including:
    • IEEE Blockchain & AI Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
    • ACM SIGAPP and SIGAI mailing lists
    • Cryptography and Security Research Networks (IACR, ECRYPT, etc.)
    • Decentralized Systems & Governance Mailing Lists
  • Post on university forums and internal research networks of participating institutions.
• Collaboration with Program Committee (PC) Members
  • Encourage PC members and keynote speakers to distribute the CFP through their institutions and networks.
  • Provide them with a ready-made CFP email template for easier forwarding.
• Cross-Promotion with Other Workshops & Conferences
  • Reach out to organizers of related workshops at MEDES 2025, IEEE ICDLT, IEEE Blockchain, AAMAS, and ICBC for CFP cross-promotion.
  • Leverage academic journal editors in AI, blockchain, and security to circulate CFPs.

2. Industry and Practitioner Outreach

• Blockchain & AI Industry Groups
  • Share CFP with blockchain consortia, including:
    • Ethereum Enterprise Alliance
    • Hyperledger Community
    • DAOs and Web3 Developer Groups
  • Engage crypto & blockchain security firms (CertiK, Quantstamp, OpenZeppelin) to promote CFP among their research divisions.
• DAO & AI Practitioners
  • Distribute CFP to AI-focused DAO communities (e.g., SingularityDAO, OceanDAO, PrimeDAO).
  • Use governance and smart contract auditing firms to promote participation.
• Industry Research Labs & Companies
  • Contact IBM Research, Microsoft Research, Google AI, and DeepMind for potential submissions.
  • Approach web3 startups and DeFi protocols for contributions on AI-DAO security.

3. Social Media and Online Channels

• LinkedIn & Twitter/X
  • Post CFP announcements on LinkedIn blockchain, AI, and security groups.
  • Engage Web3 influencers and DAO governance experts to retweet/share CFP.
• Reddit & Discord Communities
  • Share CFP in relevant Reddit forums (r/ethdev, r/MachineLearning, r/DeFi).
  • Post in DAO and blockchain Discord channels (DAOs like Aragon, BanklessDAO).
• Medium & ResearchGate Articles
  • Publish blog posts discussing AI and DAO security challenges while embedding the CFP.
  • Share on ResearchGate and Academia.edu to reach researchers directly.

4. Targeted Invitations & Personal Outreach

• Direct Invitations to Key Researchers & Industry Experts
  • Personally invite leading researchers in AI-DAO security to submit papers.
  • Approach previous MEDES attendees for participation.
• Utilizing Existing Networks
  • The organizing committee and program committee members will share CFPs within their professional networks.
  • Tap into university blockchain & AI labs (MIT Media Lab, Stanford Blockchain Research, University College London, etc.).

5. Conference Websites & Repositories

• Workshop Website & Institutional Pages
  • Host the CFP on the official AIDAOS’25 workshop page.
  • Share the CFP on university department pages of organizers.
• Academic Conference Aggregators
  • Submit the workshop CFP to CFP repositories such as:
    • WikiCFP (wikicfp.com)
    • Conference Alerts (conferencealerts.com)
    • Paper Digest CFPs (paperdigest.org)
    • Call4Papers (call4papers.org)

Technical Program Committee

• Sushil Kumar Singh, [email protected]
• Adedoyin A. Hussain, [email protected]
• Haleh Amintoosi, [email protected]
• Donna N. Dillenberge, [email protected]
• Pradip Kumar Sharma, [email protected]
• Melanie Swan, [email protected]
• KONSTANTINOS SGANTZOS, [email protected]
• Said A. Salloum, [email protected]
• Chayakrit Krittanawong, [email protected]
• Davor Svetinovic, [email protected]
• Arman Sargolzaei, [email protected]
• Bhabendu Kumar Mohanta, [email protected]
• Frederico M. Bublitz, [email protected]
• Sukhpal Singh Gill, [email protected]
• Shreshth Tuli, [email protected]
• Inderpreet Singh, [email protected]
• Karan Vijay Singh, [email protected]
• Dominic Lindsay, [email protected]
• Roman Vaculin, [email protected]
• Diogo Menezes Ferrazani Mattos, [email protected]
• Lo’ai Tawalbeh, [email protected]
• Kuan Zhang, [email protected]
• Khouloud Boukadi, [email protected]
• LAYTH SLIMAN, [email protected]
• SLIM Amri, [email protected]
• Bassem Sallemi, [email protected]
• Nour El madhoun, [email protected]
• Khaled Salah, [email protected]
• Johari bin Abdullah, [email protected]
• Adnan Shahid Khan, [email protected]
• Bassem Ben Hamed •, [email protected]
• jaap gordijn, [email protected]
• Gabriele D’Angelo, [email protected]
• Aparna Kumari, [email protected]
• Kanthi Sarpatwar, [email protected]
• Reza M. Parizi, [email protected]
• Zibin Zheng, [email protected]
• A. Tumasjan, [email protected]
• Chibuzor Udokwu, [email protected]
• Justin D. Harris, [email protected]
• Davide Calvaresi, [email protected]
• Claudio Schifanella, [email protected]