CNBC Interview with CertiK Co-Founder Guo Ronghui: From Formal Verification to AI Empowerment, Continuously Expanding the Trust Boundaries of Web3

Recently, CertiK co-founder and Columbia University professor Gu Ronghui was interviewed by the globally renowned financial media CNBC Arabic Channel, where he shared his profound insights on the future of Web3 security, discussing topics such as the industry applications of Formal Verification, the role of AI in Blockchain security, and the risks associated with emerging technologies.

Gu Ronghui stated that Formal Verification is key to building the security foundation of Blockchain, as it serves to mathematically verify whether the code behavior aligns with expected logic. This method is more rigorous than traditional auditing tools and is also more challenging. He has repeatedly emphasized that the essence of Blockchain is not just technological innovation, but the reconstruction of trust, and truly trustworthy systems must be verifiable.

Formal Verification: Building a Secure Foundation for Blockchain

Formal Verification, as a high-threshold and high-intensity auditing method, requires deep technical accumulation and understanding of the underlying logic. Gu Ronghui pointed out in an interview that this method, although complex, has irreplaceable advantages in ensuring the security and controllability of Blockchain.

His connection with Formal Verification can be traced back to his academic phase. In 2016, he collaborated with Professor Zhong Shao from Yale University to successfully develop the world's first fully formally verified multi-core operating system kernel, CertiKOS, which was praised by Google as Unbreakable. This achievement not only validated the application of this technology in the real world but also laid the foundation for its entry into industry practice.

Since then, Gu Ronghui founded CertiK in 2017, introducing Formal Verification into the Blockchain scenario. Today, this technology has been widely applied in several leading projects that focus on privacy and security, such as ZK, as well as large financial institutions like Ant Group. In an exclusive interview, Gu Ronghui stated that to improve the efficiency of Formal Verification, CertiK has currently built auxiliary tools such as AI smart analysis, which automatically identify code features and generate logical evidence.

While promoting the implementation of academic achievements, Gu Ronghui has also been closely monitoring the new threats faced by the industry. In response to concerns that "supercomputers or quantum computing may threaten Blockchain security," he admitted that such technologies have potential risks, but at this stage, they are still not sufficient to pose a substantial threat. "The capabilities of supercomputers are still not enough to break existing Blockchain systems," Gu Ronghui believes, "More importantly, the industry is actively building quantum-resistant algorithms and defense mechanisms, and having relevant solutions is possible."

AI Applications: Reshaping the Web3 Security Landscape

Gu Ronghui emphasized in an interview that AI is reshaping the blockchain security landscape, particularly in the areas of smart contract auditing and on-chain threat identification, showing great potential. "Proper application of AI can bring substantial improvements to the blockchain security system."

He further stated that CertiK's research shows that malicious behavior techniques in Web3 projects are becoming increasingly complex, with some phishing projects able to track users for extended periods and execute precise scams. However, thanks to the rapid identification capabilities of AI models, such attacks can now often be identified and addressed within hours.

Currently, CertiK has widely applied AI in the vulnerability mining and auditing process. By analyzing on-chain warning data, it assists in identifying the causes of vulnerabilities and attack paths; at the same time, it utilizes AI technology for scanning known vulnerability patterns, code logic analysis, and report generation, building an intelligent auditing system centered around "human-machine collaboration", providing reliable mathematical support and efficiency enhancement for human auditing teams.

However, with the increasing popularity of AI applications, attackers can also use it to enhance their attack methods. Gu Ronghui believes that this means the threshold for security defenses has been raised, and the industry needs more powerful security solutions.

Technical Vision: Expanding the Trust Boundaries of Web3

Gu Ronghui believes that the next stage of Web3 development will shift from "usable" to "trustworthy." Efficiency and innovation are not the end goals; responsibility and trust are the core values of technological evolution. Only by embedding verifiable security mechanisms can Blockchain truly become a trusted global financial infrastructure.

This is exactly the mission that CertiK has adhered to since its establishment - to create a security product system covering the entire lifecycle, including investment incubation, security auditing, and compliance consulting, with Formal Verification at its core, providing verifiable security for projects and setting higher security standards for the industry.

For Gu Ronghui, this is not only a business strategy but also a life choice. From studying at Yale to teaching at Columbia, from academic research to entrepreneurial practice, he has always focused on transforming Formal Verification from theory into a practical cornerstone to drive industry trust with technology.

As a professor at Columbia University and the CEO of CertiK, Gu Ronghui spans both the academic and business realms, but his focus remains on safeguarding Web3 security. He has mentioned that his teaching philosophy is rooted in integrating real-world insights into academic discussions, aiming to build a foundation of knowledge and skills for the new generation in the field of cybersecurity.

"Ensuring the security of Web3 is not only a technical challenge but also a social responsibility," Gu Ronghui has stated publicly multiple times. "Our goal is to make this industry safer and more trustworthy."