Suggestions
Jonathan Caras
Head of Communications
Jonathan Caras is the CEO of Phobos Development, a role he has held since March 2021. Based in Jerusalem, Israel, he has a diverse background in technology, crypto trading, and blockchain economics. His educational foundation includes studies in Computer Science and Software Engineering from the Jerusalem College of Technology.1
Professional Experience
- Phobos Development: As CEO, Caras leads initiatives in software development, focusing on innovative solutions in financial technology.2
- Lionschain Capital: He serves as Partner and CTO, overseeing research and development in a crypto hedge fund environment since August 2018.1
- Blockchain Startup: Caras is also the Head of Communications for a stealth-mode blockchain startup since February 2021.1
- StarkWare: Previously, he was the Business Development Manager at StarkWare from November 2019 to May 2021, contributing to advancements in security and privacy for crypto trading.
Notable Contributions
Caras has been influential in various startups and projects:
- Screenshop: He was the CTO for this app developed in collaboration with Kim Kardashian, which allows users to shop directly from screenshots.
- Glide: Co-founding this video messaging platform, he played key roles as CTO and COO, facilitating global communication through innovative technology.
Community Involvement
In addition to his corporate roles, Caras is active in the community:
- He chairs the Technology Committee for the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, promoting technological advancements within the region.1
Jonathan Caras is recognized for his leadership and commitment to driving innovation in the tech industry, particularly within the realms of blockchain and cryptocurrency. His extensive experience positions him as a notable figure in these rapidly evolving fields.
Highlights
At ETH Denver.
I was at an event tonight surrounded by artists. a lot of NFT artists, plus people working in more traditional mediums. I got into a conversation with a guy who does woodworking. He designs these really intricate pieces and uses a robot he programs to carve them out. Super cool stuff.
So I asked him if he’d ever looked into AI tools that can generate designs, turn them into 3D models, and then into files you can actually print or machine. It felt like a pretty obvious extension of what he was already doing.
He immediately shut it down. Said he would never let AI design something for him. The whole group kind of nodded along. The vibe was very “AI art is fake art.”
I told them I completely disagree.
To me, art is about the experience of the person consuming it. It doesn’t matter whether the creator is alive, dead, human, machine or whatever. What matters is whether it moves you. If it makes your feel something.
If I hear a song that takes me back 20 years. to when I first met my wife, or a moment with my kids. I don’t care whether that violin was recorded live or generated digitally. The emotional response is real either way. That’s what makes it meaningful.
I said the backlash against AI feels more economic than philosophical. For a long time, creating art required years of training, time, money, access. Those barriers protected a certain group of people. AI lowers those barriers dramatically. Now anyone can take what’s inside them and turn it into something beautiful without mastering oil painting or spending 10,000 hours on an instrument.
That creates competition. And when barriers fall, people get uncomfortable.
In our lifetime, the biggest songs, movies, maybe even paintings are going to be AI-generated or AI-assisted. That doesn’t mean humans stop creating. It just means the landscape changes. You can hate it, but it’s kind of like yelling into a hurricane.
The room did not love my take.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt that disliked in a group conversation before. But I walked away feeling like the resistance isn’t really about “what is art.” It’s about what happens when the gate disappears.
And that’s always uncomfortable.
Onion and garlic

