As zero-knowledge (ZK) systems continue to develop, there's an anticipation that they could experience a breakthrough similar to what occurred with artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT. ZK proofs allow one party to prove that another is being truthful without revealing any concealed information, maintaining privacy while verifying information's authenticity.

John Lilic, the executive director of the Telos Foundation, described ZK as fundamental and the "end game." He believes that while people may currently find the concept hard to grasp, there will come a time when ZK systems will gain the same level of attention as ChatGPT did when it was initially introduced. This would lead to a rapid adoption of ZK systems, similar to how ChatGPT became ubiquitous almost overnight.

Lilic's perspective is supported by the recent partnership between Telos Foundation and Ponos Technology to develop a layer-2 network, leveraging Telos' SNARKtor, a decentralized recursive proof aggregator, as part of their efforts to become a "network of networks."

However, Richard Meissner, the co-founder of Safe, cautioned that while there is excitement about the future of ZK systems, their "ChatGPT moment" might not happen soon. He noted that ZK tech is still in its early stages of development and requires further optimization to encourage broader adoption.

Despite these challenges, Terence Kwok, the founder of Humanity Protocol, which uses ZK systems, described ZK's current state as promising and evolving. He highlighted ongoing research and development efforts aimed at addressing ZK's limitations and expanding its applicability across various domains.

ZK technology holds immense potential for enabling trustless transactions and empowering individuals with control over their personal information in the Web3 environment. Understanding ZK technology is crucial for making informed decisions about using Web3 applications and sharing personal data.