Management of interoperating machine learning algorithms

A computer system comprising:

• a processor and memory storing computer program code for validating use of a computing resource by an executing requester software module from a plurality of discrete software modules, the executing software module comprising a machine learning algorithm as an executable software component configurable to approximate a function relating a domain data set to a range data set, a data store, and a message handler as an executable software component arranged to receive input data and communicate output data for the executing software module, wherein the message handler is adapted to determine domain parameters for the machine learning algorithm based on the input data and to generate the output data based on a result generated by the machine learning algorithm, and wherein a communication channel is provided between the plurality of discrete software modules in order that at least part of the output data for a first software module of the plurality of discrete software modules constitutes at least part of input data for a second software module of the plurality of discrete software modules so as to create a network of software modules for combining machine learning algorithms to refine the approximation of the function, by:
• validating a characteristic of the requester software module;
• generating a first transaction defining criteria for consumption of the computing resource by the requester software module, the first transaction being encrypted with a private key from a public key/private key pair and being added as part of a block of transactions to a blockchain data structure;
• and
• generating a subsequent encrypted transaction corresponding to a request of the requester software module to consume the computing resource, the subsequent encrypted transaction referring to the first transaction,
• wherein the subsequent encrypted transaction is validated by a transaction miner computing component from a plurality of miners by authenticating the subsequent encrypted transaction using the public key and verifying compliance with the criteria defined in each transaction.