Telegram's Pavel Durov: Cocoon decentralized AI network now live

Cocoon just dropped — the decentralized AI network built on TON blockchain (Telegram's crypto playground) is officially LIVE as of Sunday. This privacy-first platform lets GPU owners rent out their computing power and get paid in TON tokens for processing user queries.

Pavel Durov confirmed the network's already processing real requests and GPU miners are cashing in. He straight-up called out Amazon and Microsoft as 'expensive intermediaries that drive up prices and reduce privacy' — and positioned Cocoon as the solution to both economic and confidentiality issues with legacy AI providers.

Durov first announced Cocoon at Blockchain Life 2025 in Dubai back in October, responding to user demand for AI that actually protects privacy from corporate data hoarders.

David Holtzman from Naoris Protocol dropped some truth bombs about centralized AI giving governments and corporations 'enormous leverage over individuals' — threatening privacy, cybersecurity, and enabling mass social manipulation. His solution? Blockchain-powered AI for verified info sources, tamper-proof records, and trustless node communication.

Back in 2024, AI researchers from Dfinity Foundation and Onicai laid out seven ethical AI rules — including running AI through permissionless blockchains for transparency and data integrity.

The people have spoken too — a DCG poll in May showed 77% of Americans believe decentralized AI benefits society more than centralized systems. The verdict is in: we want our AI decentralized and our privacy intact.