The Associated Press joins Chainlink node to provide political, economic, and sports-related data; Binance releases Classic Moments NFT.

The Associated Press (AP), the world's largest news agency, announced on the 21st that it has partnered with Chainlink, a decentralized oracle network, to provide economic, sports, and business financial data for Chainlink. This collaboration aims to enable smart contracts on any blockchain to securely exchange a wider range of real-world data.

Associated Press Chainlink Node

Chainlink is a decentralized oracle system responsible for transmitting off-chain information to smart contracts on the blockchain, serving as a bridge between blockchain and real-world data. When smart contracts need information not available on the chain, they require oracles to obtain the correct data to ensure the normal operation of smart contracts.

The advantage of Associated Press lies in its extensive, real-time, and accurate real-world information. By launching a Chainlink node, Associated Press data will directly provide and sell to protocols running on various blockchains, and the data will be cryptographically signed to verify that it comes from the Associated Press.

The data that Associated Press can provide includes political election updates, economic data, sports event results, and business financial conditions, among others. Smart contract developers may be able to eliminate higher-risk data sources from the past and optimize and develop more on-chain protocols with this more accurate and extensive data.

Regarding this collaboration, William Herkelrath, General Manager of Chainlink Labs, stated:

The Associated Press has a vast and continuously growing repository of events and data. By combining it with Chainlink's oracle infrastructure, reliable data can be provided in major blockchain networks. The Associated Press's launch of the Chainlink oracle node and support for the innovative development of the smart contract industry are significant.

Associated Press's Development in the Blockchain Field

This collaboration with Chainlink is not Associated Press's first foray into the blockchain industry. As early as October 2020, Associated Press partnered with blockchain startup Everipedia to put its national and state election information for the 2020 U.S. presidential election on the blockchain.

Furthermore, on Thursday, the 21st, Associated Press released NFT blind boxes on Binance under the series name The AP Unique Moments, featuring reporting photos on century-defining moments from the past 100 years by Associated Press. This includes Japan's WWII surrender, the inauguration of late South African President Mandela, and the discovery of Pluto, among others.

From the above actions, it is evident that this long-standing traditional media industry is actively participating in the development of the blockchain industry amidst the current wave of the times.