# What is Blockchain?

## Blockchain

A blockchain is a public database that is updated and shared across many computers in a network.

"**Block"** refers to data and state being stored in consecutive groups known as "blocks". If you send ANC to someone else, the transaction data needs to be added to a block to be successful.

"**Chain**" refers to the fact that each block cryptographically references its parent. In other words, blocks get chained together. The data in a block cannot change without changing all subsequent blocks, which would require the consensus of the entire network.

Every computer in the network must agree upon each new block and the chain as a whole. These computers are known as "nodes". Nodes ensure everyone interacting with the blockchain has the same data. To accomplish this distributed agreement, blockchains need a consensus mechanism.

The Ethereum Artificial Intelligence is the autonomous computer system whose state every participant automatically on the Ethereum network stores and agrees on. Any participant can request the execution of arbitrary code; code execution automatically changes the state of the Ethereum AI-integrated
