What Exactly Is the DAO Which Shook the World? Part 1: Benefits

Cointelegraph article from Andrew Quentson

DAO is a new concept which has grabbed imagination, raising a record-breaking $150 million. What can it do? What can’t it do?

While the world is just learning about the blockchain and barely getting their heads around Bitcoin or Ethereum, a new concept has grabbed imagination, raising almost $150 million, and shattering all records: The DAO.

Unlike corporations or companies, the DAO has no CEO, no directors, no board, no employees and no shareholders. It is literally just a few lines of open source code. That code, however, allows it to hold money, with no human involvement or control, in an Ethereum address visible to anyone. Read more

Summary:
Machine-to-machine
The DAO is a smart contract with coded rules that holds collateral and doesn't have private keys to hack.
A venture fund, kind of
Entrepreneurs and inventors create a proposal with business plan & prospectus, curators vet the code and project.
Token holders matter
A minimum quorum of 20% of all tokens is required for a successful vote to pass.
Easy and free promotion
Proposals will attract free promotion to 5,000+ DAO holders
Risks ahead
This is experimental, but can change the way organizations operate.